Khoresht Bademjan

Khoresht Bademjan – Lamb Stew with Eggplant

Khoresht Bademjan – Lamb Stew with Eggplant

A delicious tomato based lamb stew with eggplant. Great served with either rice or bread. This was one of the first Persian dishes I learnt to cook and would have to be the most popular Iranian dish in our household.

Prep Time:30 minutes
Cook time:1 hour
Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, diced
  • 1 kg diced lamb
  • 1 tlbs salt
  • 2 tlbs oil
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 crushed dried lime
  • 2  x 400g tins crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tlbs tomato paste
  • 2 large eggplant

Methods/steps

  1. In a heavy based frying pan, fry the onion, salt and pepper, turmeric and dried lime until the onion is transparent.
  2. Add the lamb and fry until the surface of the lamb is sealed.
  3. Add the tinned tomatoes and tomato paste.
  4. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to a slow simmer until the lamb is tender, about an hour.
  5. Peel and slice the eggplant lengthwise.
  6. Rub the surface of the eggplant with olive oil.
  7. Cook on a hot grill, BBQ or heavy based frying pan till soft.
  8. Layer the cooked eggplant on the bottom of a serving dish, and spoon the stew on the top, gently mix to bring the eggplant visible.

 

Additional Tips

This is one of the first recipes I learnt how to cook, and has become a family favourite. I am often told, when asked how I make it, that you don’t put limoo amani in Khoresht Bademjan but I think it adds an interesting flavour and is always the first dish to be finished.