Khoresht (Stews)🍚Crispy Saffron & Golden Crust

Khoresht-E Bademjan (Eggplant Stew)

Name: Khoresht-E Bademjan (Eggplant Stew)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 1 lb beef or lamb stew meat, cut into cubes; 6 small narrow Japanese or Italian eggplants (or 2 medium globe eggplants); 1 large onion, chopped (about 4 tablespoons); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or 1/4 cup sour unripe grapes / ghooreh); 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; Cooking oil (for sautéing and frying eggplants); Salt and black pepper to taste; 3 to 4 cups water

خورشت بادمجان اصیل با گوشت و غوره

Its been a long time since I have had this Khoresht, and I felt it was time to make it and share the recipe! If you love eggplants and you love khoresht…then you should definitely try Khoresht-e Bademjan! Khoresht-e Bademjan on top of plain rice and voila you will have a perfect meal 🙂.

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hour 30 mins

Total Time

2 hr

Servings

4-6 servings

Difficulty

Medium

The Authentic Sofreh Pairing

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

Chelo (Steamed Basmati Rice)TahdigSalad ShiraziMast (Plain Yogurt)

🍋The Art of Ja Oftadan

Slow-Simmered Harmony: In Persian cuisine, a great khoresht must "settle into itself" (ja oftadan). Bloom aromatics slowly over gentle heat, pierce dried limes (limoo amani) before simmering, and let the stew bubble gently until the natural oils glisten on top.

Ingredients

مواد لازم

Servings Stepper

4 servings

Unit System

Prep ready: 0 of 9

1 lb beef or lamb stew meat, cut into cubes

6 small narrow Japanese or Italian eggplants (or 2 medium globe eggplants)

1 large onion, chopped (about 4 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or ¼ cup sour unripe grapes / ghooreh)

½ teaspoon turmeric

Cooking oil (for sautéing and frying eggplants)

Salt and black pepper to taste

3 to 4 cups water

Step-by-Step Instructions

طرز تهیه

Brown meat and onions: In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and sauté chopped onions until golden. Add the stew meat cubes, turmeric, salt, and pepper; stir and brown on all sides for 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, lemon juice (or ghooreh), and 3 to 4 cups water. Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 1 hour until meat is tender.

Prepare and fry eggplants: Peel eggplants (leaving stems intact if you like) and make a slit lengthwise down each one. Sprinkle generously with salt and let sweat for 20 minutes to draw out any bitterness. Rinse and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Fry in oil until golden brown on all sides (or bake at 400°F on a greased tray for a healthier option!).

Simmer together: When the meat is tender and the stew has reduced to a thick, flavorful sauce (about 1 to 1.5 cups of broth remaining), gently arrange the fried eggplants on top of the stew.

Final simmer (ja biofteh): Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for an additional 15 to 20 minutes so the eggplants absorb all the rich tomato-meat flavors without falling apart.

Serve: Carefully transfer the stew to a serving platter, laying the tender eggplants across the top. Serve over fluffy saffron basmati rice with crunchy tahdig! 🙂

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