Khoresh Bademjan Recipe; Persian Eggplant Stew

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Khoresh Bademjan is a traditional Persian stew usually served with either rice or bread. It can be made with different meats, such as lamb and beef, but lamb is the most common meat.

The dish has many variations, but the most common recipe includes onions, tomatoes, and green peppers. The dish’s name comes from the words Khoresh, meaning “stew,” and Bademjan, which means eggplant.

Do not miss other delicious Persian stews like Ghormeh Sabzi stew, Khoresht Fesenjan, Khoresh Karafs, and Gheymeh!

Stay with us to see what ingredients are included in Khoresh Bademjan Recipe.

Table of Contents

How to Make Khoresh Bademjan?

Ingredients of Khoresh Bademjan Recipe

6 eggplants
400 grams lamb cut into chunks
2 medium tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon brewed saffron
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and black pepper as needed
Oil and turmeric as needed
Alternatively, dried Persian lime can be used

Directions of khoresh Bademjan Recipe

Step One

To prepare a delicious Khoresh Bademjan, peel the onions and chop them, add some oil to the pot you prepared for cooking the stew, and saute it well until it becomes translucent.

Step Two

Add some turmeric spice and fry the onion for a few more minutes until it is smooth with the turmeric. After washing the lamb, cut it up into bite-sized pieces and add it to the stew pot.

Step Three

You only need to cook the meat a little to change its color because cooking too much will make it firm. After the meat changes its color, season it with tomato paste to get the raw taste of the ingredients.

Step Four

Note that roasting tomatoes will make you have a more colorful stew at the end. Then add 3 full glasses of water to the pot and increase the heat to bring the water to the boiling point faster.

Step Five

After the water boils, reduce the heat to cook the meat over medium heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes or 2 hours. While cooking the meat, you can prepare the eggplants. Peel the eggplants and cut them in halves lengthwise.

Step Six

Put the eggplants in a tray; in addition to capturing the bitterness of the eggplants, sprinkle some salt on them. Sprinkling salt on the eggplants also absorbs less oil when frying. Rinse the eggplants after 30 minutes.

Step Seven

After drying the eggplants:

Fry them in oil.
Place the fried eggplants on a napkin to remove excess oil.
At the same time, cut the tomatoes in half and fry them a little until they are fried.

Step Eight

After the meat is completely cooked and soft, add some salt, black pepper, and saffron to the stew and mix it a little so that the stew will be well-seasoned.

Step Nine

Add the eggplant and the fried tomatoes to the pot. Be careful not to stir the stew too much. If you want, you can add some dried lime to the stew.

Step Ten

Khoresh Bademjan is one of the stews that should be served with a bit of water because it does not have much glaze. After adding the eggplants, let the stew stay on the heat for another 30 minutes to add oil.

Step Eleven

If you want to make a delicious Khoresh Bademjan, you have to be patient and let the stew settle slowly on medium heat.

How to Serve Khoresht e Bademjan?

Finally, when your stew is ready, pour it into a bowl and serve your delicious stew with rice and yogurt or vegetables

Tips on how to prepare a Delicious Khoresh Bademjan

How to Prepare Khoresh-e Bademjan with Split Peas

The main Iranian Khoresh Bademjan does not contain split peas, but if you want a more colorful and glazed stew, you can also use split peas. For the above amount of ingredients, you can add between 150 grams.

Soak the split peas for at least 2 hours and change the water several times to decrease the bloating. The important thing about cooking peas is to be sure to cook them separately with an onion, discard the excess water, and add them to the stew when they are cooked. If you cook the split peas with the meat, your stew will lose its original taste.

How to prepare Khoresh e Bademjan without Meat

If you want to prepare Khoresh Bademjan in an entirely vegetarian way, remove the lamb or chicken from the list of necessary ingredients. The method of cooking stew without meat is not much different, only the steps of cooking the meat are eliminated, and the stew is prepared very quickly.

Do not forget to make this khoresh gheymeh bademjan recipe and share it with us. If you also have any related questions about the Khoresh Bademjan recipe, please do not hesitate to ask.

Tips and Tricks for Making Khoresht Bademjan

It’s crucial to salt the eggplants in the first stage so they can expel extra water and bitterness through sweating. After that, you’ll pat them dry to get rid of the salt and water.

For a healthy option that uses less oil, I like to roast the eggplants in the oven or air fryer. You may, however, pan-fry the eggplants over medium-high heat. Because the eggplants absorb the oil, you will need to use a lot more than I did in my original recipe.
Persian stews and meals are best prepared slowly and gently. It will taste better and have greater depth of flavor the longer it is cooked.
You are more than welcome to use meat or chicken if you are not vegan or vegetarian. Sear the pieces of chicken or beef, then add them to the stew and let them cook concurrently with step 5 on the recipe card.

How to Store Khoresh Bademjan

You may keep Khoresh Bademjan in the refrigerator for up to three days or the freezer for up to three months. Before storage, make sure the khoresh has completely cooled and is put in an airtight container.

Make sure it is completely defrosted before reheating it in a saucepan over low to medium heat or in a microwave-safe dish.

FAQs on Khoresh Bademjan Recipe

How to make khoresh bademjan?

Essentially, you sauté the onions, brown the meat (if using), and then simmer the eggplant, tomatoes, and spices until the flavors blend together.

Other variations for Khoresh Bademjan?

A vegetarian variation that includes chickpeas or chicken For a unique take on the traditional dish, include components like dried apricots or pomegranate molasses.

Khoresh Bademjan Recipe; Persian Eggplant Stew

Recipe by FerdosCourse: Main coursesCuisine: Persian foodDifficulty: Medium

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Calories per 200 gr

250

kcal

The dish has many variations, but the most common recipe includes onions, tomatoes, and green peppers.

Ingredients

6 eggplants
400 grams lamb cut into chunks
2 medium tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon brewed saffron
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt and black pepper as needed
Oil and turmeric as needed
Alternatively, dried Persian lime can be used

Directions

To prepare a delicious Khoresh Bademjan, peel the onions and chop them, add some oil to the pot you prepared for cooking the stew, and saute it well until it becomes translucent.
Add some turmeric spice and fry the onion for a few more minutes until it is smooth with the turmeric. After washing the lamb, cut it up into bite-sized pieces and add it to the stew pot.
You only need to cook the meat a little to change its color because cooking too much will make it firm. After the meat changes its color, season it with tomato paste to get the raw taste of the ingredients.
Note that roasting tomatoes will make you have a more colorful stew at the end. Then add 3 full glasses of water to the pot and increase the heat to bring the water to the boiling point faster.
After the water boils, reduce the heat to cook the meat over medium heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes or 2 hours. While cooking the meat, you can prepare the eggplants. Peel the eggplants and cut them in halves lengthwise.
Put the eggplants in a tray; in addition to capturing the bitterness of the eggplants, sprinkle some salt on them. Sprinkling salt on the eggplants also absorbs less oil when frying. Rinse the eggplants after 30 minutes.
After drying the eggplants:
Fry them in oil.
Place the fried eggplants on a napkin to remove excess oil.
At the same time, cut the tomatoes in half and fry them a little until they are fried.
After the meat is completely cooked and soft, add some salt, black pepper, and saffron to the stew and mix it a little so that the stew will be well-seasoned.
Add the eggplant and the fried tomatoes to the pot. Be careful not to stir the stew too much. If you want, you can add some dried lime to the stew.
Khoresh Bademjan is one of the stews that should be served with a bit of water because it does not have much glaze. After adding the eggplants, let the stew stay on the heat for another 30 minutes to add oil.
If you want to make a delicious Khoresh Bademjan, you have to be patient and let the stew settle slowly on medium heat.