Persian Eggplant Stew Food

KHORESH-E BADEMJOON (PERSIAN LAMB, EGGPLANT AND TOMATO STEW)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, season lamb with turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• Peel the eggplants but leave the green skin on the stem end intact. Trim the tips of the stems and make an incomplete lengthwise cut in each eggplant from the bottom, leaving both halves attached at the stem. Place eggplants in a colander set inside a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, set a large Dutch oven or similar pot over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add 3 tablespoons oil. When the oil shimmers, add onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened and browned, 16 to 18 minutes.
• Add the meat and cook, turning regularly, until it browns evenly on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 4 cups water and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
• In the meantime, rinse the eggplants, dry thoroughly and set aside. Remove stems and halve tomatoes through their cores and set aside. Line a baking sheet with two layers of paper towels and set aside.
• Set a large frying pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1/4 cup oil and carefully lay eggplants in the pan in a single layer. It's crucial to leave space between each eggplant for steam to escape, so brown in batches if necessary. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, turning regularly, until eggplants are browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove browned eggplants to lined baking sheet and allow to drain.
• Use the same pan to brown tomatoes, cut-side down, in remaining 2 tablespoons oil for about 5 minutes. Flip and cook tomatoes on skin side until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove to lined baking sheet.
• Once the meat has cooked for 1 hour, stir in the tomato paste, saffron and 1/4 cup lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Carefully arrange the browned eggplants and tomatoes atop the stew and then sprinkle on the young grapes. Allow the stew to come to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, until meat is falling apart and stew is thick and unctuous, about 1 hour. Without jostling the eggplants too much, taste a spoonful or two of the stew. It should be pleasantly tart, so adjust the seasoning with salt and lime juice as needed.
• Serve hot, with Persian rice and mast-o khiar, as well as pickles, fresh herbs, scallions and radishes, if desired.

PERSIAN EGGPLANT STEW

Steps:

• Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over eggplant.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook eggplants until soft and browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in stew meat, beef bouillon, cumin, and saffron; cook meat until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until well mixed.
• Pour water and tomato sauce into the saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half, about 2 hours 20 minutes. Stir in eggplants. Cook until heated through, about 10 minutes.

EGGPLANT STEW (SIMPLE, PERSIAN STYLE)

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a pot. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté over medium heat until they begin to brown.
• Add the turmeric, beef and garlic. Cook until the beef is browned.
• Add the water, tomato sauce, and 1 tsp salt. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 2.5 hours.
• Slice the eggplant lengthwise into pieces about 1/4" thick. Sprinkle them on each side with the remaining salt and place them aside for 20 minutes in a strainer set over a plate.
• Afterward, rinse each piece and pat dry. Sauté them in the remaining oil over medium heat until they begin to brown, then set them aside.
• Add the eggplant to the beef and simmer for another hour.
• Serve over Basmati rice or with bread.

GHEYMEH (PERSIAN BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add stew meat, split peas, limes, tomato paste, salt, curry powder, turmeric, and pepper. Add just enough water to fully cover the surface of the mixture. Cover and simmer until split peas are tender and meat is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 2 to 3 hours.
• Just before the stew is ready, heat 2 inches oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Slice potatoes into 2-inch long, thin pieces and lower carefully into the hot oil in batches. Fry until soft, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Increase the heat so the oil is 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Fry potatoes again, until golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove from the oil and drain on fresh paper towels.
• Pour stew into bowls and place potatoes on the surface.

KHORESHT-E BADEMJAN (EGGPLANT STEW)

Steps:

• First peel your eggplant and slice it into large but not to thick of pieces. Fill a large bowl with water and about 1/4 a cup of salt. Next add your eggplant in the bowl and place something heavy over the bowl to keep your eggplant submerged under. This will help take the bitter taste out of it before you fry it. Let sit for about 20 mins then rinse off your pieces.
• Chop onion into small pieces and fry your onion in olive oil on medium until it becomes soft and translucent. Add your meat with the onion and fry on medium, just browning it.
• Once you've browned your meat add your tumeric, garlic, cinnamon,lemon juice, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and yellow split peas. Add about 2 or 3 cups of water and stir well. Your water will evaporate some so just keep checking to see if its looking low.
• Bring your pot to a boil and once its boiling reduce heat to a medium low. I usually let it cook for a few hours on a low heat and I know when it's done because the meat is tender and just breaks apart with your fork. Ill say to let it cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours on low. Just use your judgement.
• In a frying pan add a little olive oil, enough to coat the pan. Take out your eggplant and rinse the salt off, we will re-salt it while its frying.
• Over a medium- high heat fry your eggplant pieces and salt them and pepper them if you like. Once they're finished frying and are soft, place them on a paper towel so you drain some of that olive oil from them. Then place them in the pot with your khoresht.
• Slice your tomatoes in half and place them in your stew, let the tomatoes and eggplant cook an extra 20 mins once you put them in the stew so the flavors can soak inches.
• Once finished, pour your yummy khoresht e bademjan over some steamed basmati rice and serve!