Persian Stew

Settle in for a cosy night’s dinner with this Persian aubergine and lamb stew, called Khoresh-é-Bādemjan, from serious eats.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients
30ml olive or vegetable oil, plus extra for aubergine frying
450g aubergine
225g lamb or stewing beef
1 small yellow onion
1/2tsp ground turmeric
1/2tbsp tomato paste
1/2tbsp lemon juice
1 small beef tomato (optional)

1. Egg planting you on

Start by preparing your vegetables, slice your aubergines into thin slices, as shown below, and chop your onion – leave to the side.

Prepare a plate with some kitchen roll for your aubergines to drain on, like a luxurious bed for a pubescent, oily aubergine.

Fill a pan 2cm deep with your chosen oil – olive oil or vegetable oil work best – and heat until almost smoking, just like you. Add the aubergines and fry in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden – around 10 minutes. Leave to drain on the bed of kitchen roll.

2. A pleasure to meat you

Whilst the aubergines fries, heat 20ml oil in a Dutch oven. Add your meat with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Cook, turning occasionally for 10 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon and put in a bowl to the side.

3. Turm(eric) up the heat

Heat 10ml oil in your newly empty pot and add in your chopped onion, cook until softened – around 5 minutes.

Once your onion is luminous like the Spring sun, stir in 1/2tsp ground turmeric and cook for 30 seconds and admire yellow’s Cezanne would be jealous of. Then, stir in 1/2tbsp tomato paste and cook for a minute, stirring so that it coats the onions.

Add 1 cup (240ml) of water and bring this to the boil. Add the meat back into the pot and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

After 10 minutes of stewing, give your sweet prince a little stir and return the lid for a further 30 minutes.

4. Badman or Bādemjan?

After 30 minutes, stir in 1/2tbsp of lemon juice.

Then, beautifully arrange your neglected aubergine on top of your stew – be careful not to destroy your aubergine by flagrantly stirring it in – instead, push it under using a spatula to make it sure it can absorb all of the juices.

Cover the pot again and cook for a further 30 minutes. Channel your ancestral pancake cooking skills, and swirl the pot every 10 minutes to prevent burning.

5. Tomatoptional

If you desire some extra oomph, then slice a tomato into hearty chunks – two or three depending on your tomato’s heft – and fry in a dry pan for five minutes. Garnish your stew by throwing them on top.

Finally, taste your stew for seasoning – add salt and more lemon juice if required.

Serve and dink and sink!

Food for Thought