KHORESH BADEMJAN

Khoresh Bademjan image

Yield servse 4-6

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 large onion, chopped
Vegetable oil
1 pound lean lamb or beef, cubed
2 dried limes (page 44), cracked or pierced with the point of a knife, or the juice of 1 lemon
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/3 cup yellow split peas
Salt
6 small eggplants (3 1/2-4 inches long), peeled and cut in half lengthwise

Steps:

Fry the onion in 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan until golden. Add the meat and brown it on all sides. Add the dried limes or lemon juice, and tomatoes. Cover with 2 1/2 cups water and add pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Simmer gently for 1 hour, then add the split peas and cook for 20 minutes. Season with salt when the split peas have begun to soften, and add more water occasionally, if needed to keep the meat covered.
Brush the cut side of the eggplants generously with oil and cook them, on the cut side only, under the broiler or on the grill until browned. They do not need to be entirely cooked, as they will cook further in the stew.
Add them to the stew, and cook, covered, for 30 minutes longer, or until the eggplants are very soft.
Fry 1 small chopped onion in 2 tablespoons oil until golden. Add 2 tablespoons dried crushed mint and 2 crushed garlic cloves. When the garlic just begins to color, pour over the sauce at the end, as a garnish.
If you can get hold of unripe grapes, put them into the stew instead of the dried limes.