Khoresh Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Stew)
Khoresh bademjan is a slow-simmered Persian stew of beef, turmeric and tomato paste, finished with fried eggplant, tomatoes and fresh lemon juice. Serve it over rice with tahdig.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup neutral oil divided (avocado, grapeseed or canola)
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 lb beef stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 6 cups water
- 4 Italian eggplants sliced ½ inch thick, skin on
- 3 roma tomatoes cut in half
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 lemon juice of
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden.
- Add the beef and sear until browned on all sides. Stir in the turmeric and black pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about a minute, until it darkens slightly.
- Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hours, until the beef is completely tender.
- Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the neutral oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices for about 5 minutes per side, until golden. You only want color here; they finish cooking in the stew.
- In the same pan, using the last of the neutral oil, fry the tomato halves for about 4 minutes per side.
- When the beef is tender, add the salt and cinnamon. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the fried eggplant and tomatoes to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice just before serving. Serve over rice.
Video
Notes
- Neutral oil means avocado, grapeseed or canola.
- Fry the eggplant for color only. It finishes cooking in the stew.
- Add the lemon juice at the very end, off the heat, just before serving.
- To use dried Persian limes instead of fresh lemon juice, pierce 4 or 5 with a fork and add them in the last 10 minutes of simmering, before the eggplant. Do not simmer them longer than that or they can turn bitter.
- Lamb can replace the beef; start checking for tenderness at about 1 hour 30.
- Fried eggplant freezes beautifully. Add it to the stew straight from frozen.
Nutrition
Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 535mg | Potassium: 1197mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg