Khoresht Bademjan

Khoresht Bademjan

Khoresht Bademjan

A rich Persian stew of slow-fried aubergine and lamb in a tomato and saffron sauce, soured with unripe grape juice (verjuice) — deeply fragrant and silky.

Cuisines

Persian

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Build a full meal around Khoresht Bademjan

Get a matched combo of sides and accents

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 70 min Total: 90 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

vegetable oil 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Onion 1 large Onion , finely chopped
Beef 250 grams Beef , cut into cubes
turmeric powder 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
salt 1 teaspoon Salt , to taste
Black Pepper 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper , to taste
water 2 cups Water
Eggplant 3 medium Eggplant , small
tomato paste 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
Tomato 2 medium Tomato , chopped
lemon juice 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
sugar 0.5 teaspoon Sugar
Parsley Parsley , fresh, for garnish

Instructions

  1. 1 Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat.
  2. 2 Add the chopped onion and sauté until golden brown.
  3. 3 Add the beef or lamb cubes and brown them on all sides.
  4. 4 Stir in turmeric, salt, and black pepper.
  5. 5 Pour in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
  6. 6 Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
  7. 7 Meanwhile, peel the eggplants and slice them lengthwise.
  8. 8 Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture.
  9. 9 Rinse the eggplant slices and pat them dry with paper towels.
  10. 10 In a separate pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and fry the eggplant slices until golden brown on both sides.
  11. 11 Remove the eggplant slices and set them aside.
  12. 12 Add tomato paste and chopped tomatoes to the pot with the meat, stirring well.
  13. 13 Add lemon juice and sugar, and adjust salt to taste.
  14. 14 Layer the fried eggplant slices on top of the meat and tomato mixture.
  15. 15 Cover the pot and let it simmer for another 20 minutes until the flavors meld together.
  16. 16 Serve the Khoresht Bademjan hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

Tips

For a richer flavor, use a bit of saffron dissolved in warm water and add it to the stew before the final simmer.