I grew up eating plum crumble at school, then I married a Persian who put plums in chicken stew.

School puddings rarely gave us much to look forward to, but plum crumble beat the semolina that turned my stomach. Years later, H introduced me to a really different way of cooking plums.

Plum crumble was the lesser of two evils

Growing up in Britain, my earliest memories of cooked plums involve primary school dinners. School dinner desserts back then were hardly renowned for being tasty. There was usually something stodgy on offer, with custard poured over it whether you wanted any or not. But plum crumble was one of the better options when the alternative was semolina pudding, which turned my stomach.

I can still picture that semolina: pale, lumpy and unappetising. Plum crumble, by comparison, was practically a treat. At least you knew what you were eating. There was fruit underneath, crumble on top and usually enough custard to cover the lot. It wasn’t fine dining, but it beat the dinner ladies’ semolina hands down.

For years, that was where I thought plums belonged: in puddings, pies or just in jam. Definitely not in a saucepan with chicken, but then I married H, who comes from Tehran, and discovered that Persians have different ideas about what to do with fruit.

In my childhood kitchen, plums meant pudding. In H’s Persian cooking, they were dinner.

What Persians do with their dried plums

One of those discoveries was khoresht-e aloo, a Persian stew made with chicken or meat, dried plums, onions and spices. The first time I heard what went into it, I wondered whether two separate courses had accidentally ended up in the same pan. But once I’d tasted it, I had to admit the combination definitely worked. It was rather like discovering H’s Persian celery stew, khoresht karafs, which also changed my mind about an ingredient I’d never considered particularly exciting.

The dried plums, often called aloo in Persian, can be golden, sweet or quite sour, depending on the variety. They soften in the sauce as the chicken cooks, while turmeric, cinnamon and saffron give the stew its flavour. The sourness is what I like because it just stops the dish tasting too sweet.

There are different versions of the dish too. For example, khoresh aloo esfenaj combines plums with lamb and spinach. Our version uses chicken and tomatoes, served with basmati rice.

Buying the plums: Try an Asian or Middle Eastern food shop and ask for dried Persian plums suitable for stew. Labels may say aloocheh, but varieties differ, so check whether they’re sweet or sour and whether they contain stones. Ordinary prunes are sweeter; a little lemon juice can help if you use them instead.

A craving I didn’t see coming

During my pregnancy with Cyrus at 40, khoresht-e aloo became a favourite. Morning sickness made my appetite unpredictable and some days the smell of dinner cooking was enough to send me out of the kitchen; but on others I couldn’t wait to eat. I enjoyed the sharp plums with the chicken and rice, which was something of a relief when so many foods had lost their appeal.

I’d also taken a liking to Persian herbs, or sabzi khordan, during the months when nausea was at its worst. I wasn’t looking for miracle foods, just looking for things I could actually face eating.

Khoresht-e aloo: Persian chicken and plum stew

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins + 30 mins soaking | Cook about 60–70 mins

This is our family-style chicken version. You’ll need a large saucepan with a lid and basmati rice to serve.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, cut into large pieces
• 1 cup dried sour Persian plums, preferably pitted
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp prepared liquid saffron
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Approximately 300ml water, plus extra if needed
• Salt, to taste
• Basmati rice, to serve

Method

1. Rinse the dried plums and soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions over a medium heat until golden.
3. Add the chicken and turmeric, turning the pieces until lightly coloured on all sides.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, cinnamon and salt. Add the plums and approximately 300ml water, then bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Cover and cook over a low heat for 45–60 minutes, checking occasionally and adding a little water if the sauce becomes too thick. The chicken must be cooked through, with no pink meat remaining. For further guidance, see the Food Standards Agency advice on cooking poultry safely.
6. Add the prepared saffron for the final 10 minutes. To make liquid saffron from threads, crush a small pinch and steep in a little hot water.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with basmati rice. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the chicken and the plums should be soft.

If you’re using really sour plums, taste the sauce before serving. If you’re using ordinary prunes, you may find it needs a little lemon juice. And if there’s tahdig, the crisp rice from the bottom of the pan, H won’t be turning it down.

Chicken provides protein and dried plums contain fibre, but I wouldn’t claim this stew improves fertility or that cinnamon prevents pregnancy complications. For reliable advice, the NHS guidance on eating well during pregnancy is a more sensible place to start.

Will Cyrus opt for crumble or khoresht?

Now that Cyrus is here, I wonder which foods he’ll grow up enjoying. H’s Persian cooking will be as familiar to him as the British food I grew up with, although I’m under no illusion that a child will appreciate everything put in front of him. Maybe he’ll love this stew, or he’ll ask why there are plums in his chicken and not in his school dinner.

There are other Persian dishes I’d like him to try when he’s older, including kotlet, made with minced meat, potatoes and spices. For now, I’m happy that our kitchen has room for both British puddings and Persian stews.

I still wouldn’t refuse a decent plum crumble with custard, but I’ve changed my mind about putting plums in dinner. Semolina pudding, on the other hand, can stay in the school dining hall.

And have you ever tried fruit in a savoury stew? Tell me in the comments.

Occasional stories, experiments, discoveries and questions from Saffron & Cyrus.