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Home›Nutrition and daily life›Global food database›Iran›Fesenjan (walnut and pomegranate stew)
Iranian cuisine

Fesenjan (walnut and pomegranate stew)

Chicken or duck in a sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses — sweet and sour.

Well-cooked hot dish

Fesenjan (walnut and pomegranate stew) — dish photo
Fesenjan (walnut and pomegranate stew) — Iranian cuisine. Photograph of the dish.

Ingredients

  • chicken or duck
  • walnuts
  • pomegranate molasses
  • onion
  • sugar
  • cinnamon
  • salt

How it is prepared

Ground walnuts are simmered slowly until their oil releases, then pomegranate molasses and chicken are added and cooked for 1.5–2 hours.

Food safety with low immunity

Well-cooked hot dish

Usually a well-cooked dish served hot. Follow the general rules: cook it fresh, eat it hot, cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate them.

  • Chicken and turkey must be fully cooked; keep raw poultry away from other foods and wash hands and boards after handling it.
  • Nuts should be fresh, packaged and mould-free; do not use old nuts or nuts with damaged shells.

Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →

Storage

Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, and eat within 1–2 days. Divide large batches into small containers so they cool faster.

Reheating

Once, until steaming hot all the way through; in a microwave, stir halfway.

Symptoms it may suit

  • Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
  • Weight loss. Energy-dense and easy to enrich (oil, cheese, yoghurt) — can help with weight loss.
  • Taste changes. Aromatic spices, herbs or a little sourness can help when food tastes bland or metallic (if there are no mouth sores).

These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.

Treatment phases

  • Before treatmentmay suit
  • During a coursemay suit
  • Low counts (neutropenia)Freshly cooked and hotmay suit
  • Between coursesmay suit
  • After treatmentmay suit

Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.

If you have other conditions

  • Diabetes, Obesity. A sweet dish. With diabetes or weight concerns, discuss portion size with your team.
  • Heart disease, Obesity, Liver disease, Stomach and gut. Can be fatty. With heart, liver or digestive disease, or excess weight, discuss fat content and portions with your team.
  • Kidney disease. Can be a source of potassium (tomato, potato, pulses, dried fruit). With kidney disease, discuss potassium limits with your team.
Talk to your doctor

Diabetes, heart, kidney, liver or other long-term conditions can change what suits you. Discuss portions and suitability with your care team or a dietitian. This is not a personal diet or medication advice.

Nutrition (per 100 g)

Nutrition figures from a reliable source have not been added for this dish yet.

More from this cuisine

  • Ghormeh sabzi (herb stew)
  • Ash reshteh (noodle and bean soup)
  • Zereshk polo (barberry rice)
  • Kabab koobideh
  • Abgoosht (dizi)
  • Sholeh zard (saffron rice pudding)

Iran: food database → · Country page →

Related topics

  • Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period
  • Food safety
  • Food hygiene: everyday kitchen habits
  • Nutrition basics during treatment
  • What is neutropenia?
  • Poor appetite and nausea
  • Fluids and hydration

Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination

Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
  2. FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
  3. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
  5. Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
  6. World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
  7. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
  8. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
  9. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
  10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

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