Khoresh-e Bademjoon (Persian Lamb, Eggplant and Tomato Stew)
- Total Time
- 3 hours
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:6 to 8 servings
- 1pound boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1heaping teaspoon ground turmeric
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 to 8Japanese eggplants (about 2 pounds)
- 5tablespoons plus ¼ cup olive oil
- 1large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4small or 2 medium tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
- 3tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
- ¼ to ½cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 to 4 limes)
- ⅓cup fresh or frozen unripe grapes (ghooreh)
- Polo Ba Tahdig (Persian Rice With Bread Crust), for serving (see recipe)
- Mast-o Khiar (see recipe) or plain yogurt, for serving
- Persian liteh or garlic pickles, for serving (optional)
- Assorted fresh herbs (such as mint, tarragon and basil), scallions and radishes, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
354 calories; 28 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 817 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a large bowl, season lamb with turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
- Step 2
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.
- Step 3
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.
- Step 4
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.
- Step 5
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.
- Step 6
Set a large frying pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add ¼ 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.
- Step 7
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.
- Step 8
Once the meat has cooked for 1 hour, stir in the tomato paste, saffron and ¼ 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.
- Step 9
Serve hot, with Persian rice and mast-o khiar, as well as pickles, fresh herbs, scallions and radishes, if desired.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Simin
The grapes are the "sour" grapes. If can't find it use lemon juice to taste.
Andi
I make this dish and use Persian all spice as well that is how my mother-in-law makes it. You can also get away with crushed tomatoes in place of tomatoes and tomato paste. I have found you don't need to salt the Japanese eggplant like you do the Italian ones they don't have that bitter taste and also the skin is really thin that if you like you can leave on if you like.
Gavin
Writing here from the UK. Do you think you good use gooseberries instead of unripe grapes or would they be too sour? You say the unripe grapes add a "tartness" which made me think it could work. Gooseberries are plentiful here in summer
Gabi
Is it possible to make a vegetarian version of this and still retain the rich flavor?
Karen P.
As a vegetarian, I've made khoresh-e bademjoon with yellow split peas instead of lamb and have used dried Omani limes (buy them in a Middle Eastern grocery store) instead of ghooreh and fresh lime juice. I wonder if the sourness of cranberries could be substituted for ghooreh. Plus, instead of frying egglplant, I roast eggplant slices, brushed with olive oil, until they're soft and browned.
dona
Thank you for mentioning Kalustyan’s ( full disclosure- I’m the manager.) yes we have jarred and frozen Persian sour grapes.
Nina
What’s the reason for not cutting eggplants totally in half? then at one point are u supposed to cut them in half if they are to rest on top of the stew ? is it when frying them in Step6?
James A
We absolutely adored this. Used grapes from our vines, just picked out the seeds since they are pretty big. Added some Aleppo pepper to the spice mix. Broiled the eggplant and tomatoes instead of frying. Lazy? Maybe. Worked very well. Reduced the broth w/o stew then poured it over the vegetables and lamb. Best leftovers in ages. Thank you!!
jond
I modified as follows: Did the eggplants in the oven using the Persian Mama method. Did the first part of cooking the meat in the InstantPot, reduced liquid to 2c, 15 minutes high pressure. Broiled tomatoes in oven. Once everything was combined, another 5 minutes on high in IP. Used 4 Omani limes (dried Persian limes) in place of gooreh. It turned out really good!
Leslie
I loved this dish, but had to adjust it a bit and found the comments helpful. I added allspice, a bayleaf, and piment d'espelette. I used some fresh Campari tomatoes, a can of fire roasted tomatoes with jalepeños and added a can of cannellini beans. Since I am unable to buy ghoureh in my area, I made dried limes the day before and added to the stew as advised in a comment. The Mast-Khiar is a great addition particular since my version had some heat.
TiredMum
This is lovely. I've made many versions of Khoresh Bademjan over the years, and like this version the best, with 2 minor modifications. 1. I peel and halve japanese or chinese eggplants (pick fresh and firm ones). Toss them with approx 1/2 c olive oil, and cook till browned and cooked in a 450 F oven on a foil-lined sheet. Turn Take them off the foil before they cool, otherwise they'll stick. No salting needed. 2. Roast tomatoes cut-side-down.
ayse
Very tasty! Next time use 2lbs lamb stew meat. Chop eggplant length wise, it doesn’t have to be stuck together at the stem. Also use fresh tomato not canned, it was too tomatoey/citric acid’y. So much potential to be really really good with these tweaks. Yum! Serve w yellow rice
PRG
This really sounds amazing. Is there a possible substitute for eggplant? I'm allergic. I'm trying to think of another vegetable but I'm not sure . . . squash perhaps? I know it's not the same, but the flavors sound mouthwatering. :-)
sf cook
Found this disappointing and bland. Used 1/4 cup fresh lime juice and found it much too tart. Love lamb and eggplant, but the flavors just didn’t shine in this dish.
mediocre miss m
Leave lamb whole
Blair
It says lemon juice in the description but lime juice in the ingredients. Is one better than the other here?
katherine
Use citric acid instead of sour grapes
Aidan
I love Persian food, and I found this to be bland compared to what I am used to. The only spices are turmeric and saffron, two rather lackluster seasonings. This needs a bunch a sumpin sumpin.
Sarah
If you are like me and don't like lamb smell add a 1/4 tsp of cinnamon to the meat during the cooking time. It was very tasty. Thanks for sharing.
jond
I modified as follows: Did the eggplants in the oven using the Persian Mama method. Did the first part of cooking the meat in the InstantPot, reduced liquid to 2c, 15 minutes high pressure. Broiled tomatoes in oven. Once everything was combined, another 5 minutes on high in IP. Used 4 Omani limes (dried Persian limes) in place of gooreh. It turned out really good!
Marcy
Made as directed with the substitution of pomegranate molasses for the ghooreh since I couldn't find any. Was absolutely delicious. The brightness of the herbs, radishes, and yogurt really made this dish memorable.
Emma
I cannot recommend this recipe unfortunately. I’m quite the stew cooker and have been spending my evenings (sometimes over several evenings) cooking delicious soups and stews. I wanted to find a new recipe though and this sounded incredibly interesting so I made it. It hurts me to say that I didn’t enjoy it at all and neither did my family so that in the end it was wasted. No one could quite put their finger on EXACTLY why it doesn’t taste good but if we ever figure it out, I’d love to know
Pat
There is a similar but easier (I think) version of this dish in the Together Community Cookbook organized by Meghan Markle with recipes by women from London’s horrendous Grenfell Tower fire. The Beef and Eggplant Casserole (I use lamb) recipe uses tamarind paste for the sour notes. It is delicious.
Corinne
I made this almost exactly as the recipe called for, after a number of shopping trips to different places to get everything I needed, despite having a well-stocked pantry to begin with. Made everything to spec except I cooked it in a tagine....& then when the time came to put in the saffron......none to be found. I even thew on shoes and mask and went to the grocery store to no avail. It was delicious but we wondered how much more complex it would have been with the saffron.
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