Khoresh Bademjan (Persian Eggplant Stew) Recipe
Khoresh Bademjan (Khoresht e Bademjoon) is a delicious Persian eggplant stew. The eggplants are cooked to butter-soft tenderness in a tangy tomato sauce and delicately spiced with saffron and allspice. Chickpeas stand in for meat while adding healthy protein and deliciousness to this vegan recipe.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 216kcal
Equipment
- Large nonstick saute pan or saucepan
Ingredients
- A generous pinch saffron
- 2 medium eggplants (use Italian eggplants or Japanese eggplants. Slice ⅓rd inch thick)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 2 medium tomatoes (sliced ⅓rd inch thick)
- 1 medium onion (red or yellow, finely chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (crushed and minced)
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14 oz chickpeas (canned or cooked. Drain out all liquid before using.)
- 3 cups water (or vegetable stock or mushroom stock. See notes.)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (
- Handful of basil leaves (or parsley for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Soak saffron strands in ¼ cup warm water. Set aside.
- Soak eggplant slices in a large bowl filled with salted water. Set aside for 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Coat the bottom of a non-stick saute pan or saucepan with olive oil. Fry the eggplant slices over medium-high heat until the underside is golden-brown. Flip the eggplant slices and continue cooking them until golden-brown on both sides. The eggplant should be very tender and a fork pierced through the center should go cleanly through. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, place the sliced tomatoes in a single layer. Roast a minute on each side. Set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add onions with a generous pinch of salt and saute over medium heat until the onions begin to brown.
- Add the ground allspice, ground cumin, turmeric and garlic. Add ground black pepper to taste. Stir and saute for a minute.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and mix it in. Add the chickpeas and mix.
- Add 3 cups water or vegetable stock/mushroom stock. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Place the cooked, sliced eggplants and tomatoes in the pan and press them in a bit. Pour the saffron with the water it was soaked in and the lemon juice over the eggplant and tomatoes. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Garnish, if desired, with torn basil leaves. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
- To make an instant mushroom stock, soak 10 dried shiitake mushrooms in 3 cups of hot water for 30 minutes. Strain out the mushrooms before adding the stock to the pot. You can also slice the soaked mushrooms and add them to the dish for additional texture and umami.
- Khoresh bademjan is typically served with Persian rice cooked until it has developed a lovely crust (tahdig) at the bottom. Try this Persian rice with Saffron with the khoresh bademjan for a delicious food experience.
- Refrigerate: Store the khoresh bademjan in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Like most stews, this one tastes even better the day after it is cooked.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- Reheat: Thaw and reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 471IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3mg