Eggplant Stew - Persian: Koresh e Badenjan

6 Servings

Ingredients

1 pound (450 grams) lamb or beef
8 small eggplants
2 medium onions
5 small tomatoes
2 tablespoons sour grapes
1/2 teaspoon saffron or turmeric
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9 tablespoons cooking oil


Directions

- Peel and slice eggplants lengthwise into ½ inch (1 cm) thickness. If using larger American eggplant, cut each slice in half lengthwise again. Add salt and let them rest for one hour. Then rinse eggplants with cold water and dry.
- Peel onions and cut them into small square pieces. In a sauce pan, fry onions in 3 tablespoons of oil until golden. Cut meat into small cubes. Add meat to the pan and fry until color turns brown. Bring 2 cups of water to boil and add to the meat. Cover and simmer for one hour.
- In a skillet pan, fry sliced eggplants in 6 tablespoons of oil until slightly golden.
- Quarter tomatoes. Rub saffron between your fingers to crush it. Then add saffron or turmeric, tomatoes, sour grapes, eggplants, salt, and pepper to the sauce pan. Cover and cook over low heat for another 30 minutes.

Serve Khoresh e Badenjan with plain white rice (Polow).

Noosh e Jan!