Khoresh Bademjan, also called khoresht e bademjan (Persian Eggplant Stew with Beef) is a classic Persian recipe loved by all the eggplant fans like my husband, who would gladly have it for dinner once a week without complaining about the repetition! Few days ago I had a request from another eggplant fan, a dear reader, for this khoresh and as luck would have it I had cooked and photographed this recipe just recently. So I decided to to move it up on my list, put the finishing touches and publish it. I want all of my readers to know how much I appreciate the kind comments and the ongoing support that you give me on a daily basis and I enjoy getting requests and would do my best to fulfill them if at all possible.
Bademjan or bademjoon is eggplant in Farsi and khoresh means stew and it is always served with rice. This is the stew that you would see at most traditional dinner parties. Kohresh Bademjan tastes great when it has some tartness to it. This could be accomplished by either of the following ingredients: Fresh lemon juice, limoo amani (dried Persian lime), abghooreh (sour grape juice), or ghooreh (sour grapes).
Fresh sour grapes (ghooreh) and pickled sour grapes are available in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean markets.
I have tried every one of the ingredients that I mentioned above in Khoresh Bademjan over the years, but my favorite is ghooreh. Ghooreh is the young unripe fruit of the Thompson grapes or other similar seedless grapes that is harvested earlier in summer and is very sour. The unripe fruit may be stored frozen, dried (ground), or pickled in special brine. The fresh sour grapes are available in some Middle Eastern markets in early summer. The pickled variety is available year round in these markets also. I have used the frozen sour grapes that I had picked from the grapevine in my yard last summer; they freeze well and keep beautifully for months!
I have used round Indian eggplants in this recipe, but the Italian eggplants work very well also.
Bake the eggplants by following the instructions on the How-To section of my blog. Cook the cubed beef with water, onion, turmeric powder and ground black pepper until tender. Discard the onion.
Fry the sliced onions in a large skillet. Add some tomato paste and saute a bit more. Next add salt and the broth of the cooked beef. Bring the sauce to a boil and add the cooked beef, baked eggplants, frozen sour grapes and the optional saffron. Bring the sauce to another boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
Enjoy Khoresh Bademjan with Steamed White Rice.
- 1 pound cross rib roast or any similar beef, cubed
- ½ large onion, leave whole
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cups water
- 1 large onion sliced thin and fried to golden brown in 3 TBSP vegetable oil (4 ounces fried onions)
- 3 TBSP tomato paste
- 7-10 medium Indian eggplants, peeled and baked (follow instructions for Baked Eggplant) or 5-6 medium Italian eggplants
- 1 cup frozen sour grapes (Do not thaw). May substitute with fresh or pickled sour grapes (drained), 4 crushed limoo amani (dried Persian lime), or 3-4 TBSP fresh lemon juice or sour grape juice.
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp saffron powder (optional)
- Add the cubed beef, water, turmeric powder, ground black pepper, and the onion half to a medium stockpot. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low (must maintain a slow boil) and cook covered for 1-1 ½ hours, or until the beef is fork tender. Discard the onion. As an alternative method, if you own a pressure cooker, you may follow your owner’s manual for safety instructions and cook the above ingredients in the pressure cooker for 15 minutes after the pressure regulator starts to rattle. Discard the onion and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- Meanwhile bake the eggplants in a preheated oven according to the Baked Eggplant instructions on the How-To section of my blog.
- At the same time heat 3 TBSP vegetable oil In a 12-inch nonstick skillet and fry the thinly sliced onions over medium heat until golden brown.
- Add 3 TBSP tomato paste to the fried onions and saute over medium low heat for 5 minutes until aromatic.
- Add the broth of the cooked beef and 1 tsp kosher salt to the skillet and stir to incorporate with the onion mixture and bring it to a boil to make a sauce.
- Add the cooked beef, baked eggplants, sour grapes, and the optional saffron to the skillet and bring it to another boil. There should be about 1½ inches of sauce in the skillet, add extra water if needed but only in small amounts so the sauce is not watered down. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the sauce has thickened and the beef and eggplants are very tender. Adjust salt to taste.
- Serve over Persian white rice.
You may substitute dried Persian lime (limoo amani) or fresh lemon juice or sour grape juice for sour grapes. This stew tastes best when it is on the tart side and you may adjust it to your taste by adding more or less of these sour ingredients.
Freezing the fresh sour grapes - Discard the stems. Pick through the unripe grapes and only freeze the perfect green ones. Add to a colander and wash with cold water. Allow all the water to drain for couple of hours. Add the sour grapes to a zipped freezer bag and freeze on a flat surface. Do not thaw, just use frozen when needed.
In Salt Lake City area:
www.blackcherrymarket.com/
I’m an eggplant fan and love it in any form they come. But, khoresh bademjan is the best! I really appreciate the use of fresh sour grapes here, and the khoresh is perfectly simmered. I look for these round, adorably cute eggplants and never find them. Do they taste just like Japanese eggplants?
These are the Indian eggplants. Unlike the Japanese variety that has very few seeds with softer flesh and almost sweet taste, the Indian eggplant has some seed and the taste and texture is more like the Italian eggplants but it holds its shape better after cooking.. I have been lucky to find it in some specialty grocery stores and Asian markets.
Hello I have a comment and I’m confused years ago I was in Orange County California in a little hole-in-the-wall Persian restaurant and I had the bademjan
Without yellow split peas without sour
Grapes but it did have a wonderful flavor of cinnamon mild it almost had a sweetness to it it was the most amazing dish I have ever had I am so confused my daughter had it is well now when I ask a Persian anyone I can find they say there is no such thing but in the past there were Persians who said there was I wish I knew someone who had the recipe without the yellow split peas without the sour grapes yet had a touch of cinnamon does it or does it not exist did I happen to find a restaurant owned by Persians that made their own type and they were the only persons to have ever made this or is there an actual recipe if you could help me I would be so grateful
Dear Nita,
If you prefer you may leave out the sour grapes in my recipe. If you are interested in another khoresh bademjan recipe that has split peas, you may also leave it out without compromising the taste of Khoreh Bademjan. The dish that you’re describing sounds delicious but I have never had khoresh bademjan with cinnamon and sweet flavor; however you may add some cinnamon in the sauce with the fried onions. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
hello, I know what you’re talking about 😀 I grew up in a Persian family and my mother used to add cinnamon in the sauce and we don’t use yellow split peas, we use smashed red lentils. think as every restaurant and household, everyone has its own little variations of that dish. (my grandmothers tastes very different than my mothers). so just do as you like 🙂
Hi Mariam, that is so true! We learn how to cook from our families and there are different versions of every recipe. That is how some amazing variations are created. I agree with your comment, that everyone should only use the recipes as guidelines and then add their own twist to it. Thank you for your comment!
you right ,you do not need any of above just tomato paste and dash of cimmon powder
Hi, if I wanted to make this recipes vegetarian. Do Ifoolow all the steps wiyhout using the beef?
Hello Jasmine; yes basically, but I would add these steps for a tastier vegetarian stew:
Thinly slice 1 1/2 large onions and fry in butter instead of oil. Add 1 tsp ground turmeric and saute for a minute. Add the tomato paste and saute for another minute.
Use 1 1/2 cups (or a bit more if needed) vegetable stock instead of 3 cups of water and make a sauce then add the baked eggplants and sour grapes and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until tender and flavorful.
You may also add 2-3 halved fresh Roma tomatoes at the same time that you’re adding the eggplants to the above sauce, if you like. Let me know how these suggestions work for you!
Hello Homa! Khorest e bademjan is one of my favs and Ive made it many times. I want to make it for a dinner party but will be at work all day. Is it possible to adapt this for a crockpot?!
Hello Nazanin; the eggplants may be baked a day or two ahead of the party and stored in the fridge: https://persianmama.com/baked-eggplant/ Also fry the onions a day or two in advance and refrigerate them. On the day of the party, add the cubed beef, water, turmeric powder, ground black pepper, and the onion half to the slow cooker and cook on low setting for 7-8 hours or high setting for 4-5 hours. The meat should be fork tender at the end of this time; discard the onion half. The rest of the recipe starting at step #4 will take about 1 hour which is about the same time that it will take to steam your rice. Since the slow cooker keeps the moisture in, if needed, cook the khoresh a few minutes longer without the lid to thicken the sauce. Have a great party and let me know if you have further questions.