Mazzeh & Starters⚖️Harmonious Hot & Cold (Garm o Sard)

Haleem (Halim) Bademjoon

حلیم بادمجان

This was my very first attempt at making Haleem Bademjoon (a delicious eggplant Persian recipe) I used ground beef for my recipe, but many people use lamb or beef that they cook and then mash up. I will try that at another time, but this time I tried to go the easier route and use ground beef to simplify the cooking.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hour 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 55 min
Servings
4-6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Haleem (Halim) Bademjoon
The Authentic Sofreh Pairing

In Persian tradition, dining is a harmony of hot and cold temperaments (Garm o Sard). Serve this dish alongside:

Warm Sangak or Lavash BreadCrispy Fried Onions (Piyaz Dagh)Sautéed Mint Oil (Na’na Dagh)Persian Black Tea
🥗Bright Acid & Fresh Herb Prep

Crisp Texture Secret: Dice vegetables into uniform jewel-sized cubes and dress with fresh lime juice, verjuice (ab-ghooreh), and olive oil shortly before serving. Wash and thoroughly dry fresh herbs so every bite stays bright and crisp.

Ingredients

مواد لازم
Servings Stepper
4 servings
Unit System
Prep ready: 0 of 9

Step-by-Step Instructions

طرز تهیه
1
Cook meat and lentils: Fry the onions in oil until golden brown. Take half out for the topping. Add ground beef and lentils to the pot with turmeric, salt, and pepper. Add 1 to 2 cups of water, cover, and cook on medium for 40 to 50 minutes until lentils are tender.
2
Fry and mash eggplants: Salt the eggplant slices and fry in oil over medium-high heat until golden on both sides. Once fried, pulse in a food processor or mash thoroughly.
3
Combine and simmer: Add the mashed eggplants to the meat and lentil pot. Simmer on medium-low heat for at least an hour, stirring often so it doesn’t stick. (Halfway through, I pureed half in a blender for a smoother, stretchier texture). Keep the lid off towards the end to allow excess water to evaporate.
4
Add Kashk: Remove from heat and stir in the Kashk until creamy and well incorporated. Transfer to a serving dish.
5
Garnish and serve: Fry the reserved onions until dark golden (piyaz dagh) and sizzle the dried mint in oil (na’na dagh). Sprinkle over the top and serve warm with bread 🙂. Note: Be careful with the amount of water you use — if you add too much, it takes a lot longer to evaporate!
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