Khoresht Bademjoumn

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Disclaimer: I am not Persian. This recipe my mother learned from Fatima in Tehran when we lived there in 1973. I grew up eating this dish and learned it at my mother's elbow. It was also a company dish and many people claiming to hate eggplant enjoyed this dish.

Submitted by Sarah Kelly
Published on April 4, 2019
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Additional Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
6 servings
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • 2 cups basmati rice

  • 1 pound eggplant, sliced into 1-inch rounds

  • 1 pound beef stew meat

  • 4 cups water

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 1 (12 ounce) can diced tomatoes

  • 1 (12 ounce) can tomato sauce

  • 1 teaspoon salt as needed

  • ¼ cup butter

  • 1 tablespoon water

Directions

  1. Rinse rice in a sieve until water runs clear. Pour into a bowl, cover with water. Leave to soak for 1 hour or overnight.

  2. Toss eggplant with salt in a separate bowl; let set for 1 hour. Rinse salt from eggplant in a colander; cut into 1-inch cubes.

  3. Toss stew meat with cinnamon and turmeric in a separate bowl.

  4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside. Add eggplant, onion, and diced tomatoes to the skillet; cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Return stew meat to the pan; add tomato sauce. Cover skillet and lower heat to medium-low; cook until meat is tender and sauce has thickened, about 40 minutes.

  5. While the beef is cooking, prepare the rice. Bring 4 cups water to a rapid boil in a saucepan; drain rice. Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt to saucepan; boil until partially cooked, about 11 minutes. Drain rice in sieve; return saucepan to medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon water together in the saucepan. Spoon rice back into saucepan a spoonful at a time. Dot remaining butter on top of the rice, cover tightly and lower heat to medium-low; cook for 30 minutes.

  6. Remove both the rice and the eggplant mixture from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Before serving, carefully place a serving dish on top of the saucepan and invert rice onto serving dish. Transfer stew into a serving bowl and serve with rice.

Cook's Notes:

The rice is cooked Chelo-style; producing a crispy coating of rice called tahdig. This is intentional and a prized item at the Persian table. Gaining skill with this technique will allow the rice to turn onto a plate as if a cake and makes a lovely presentation.

Salting the eggplant removes moisture and bitterness from the fruit, improving the taste and texture.

Dry the eggplant and the beef by blotting with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel make sure you are drying the eggplant first. I prefer the kitchen towel to the paper towel so as to not end up with paper in the dish.

To achieve a tight cover on the rice, some cooks will wrap the lid in a kitchen towel.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

527 Calories
23g Fat
61g Carbs
19g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 527
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 10g 49%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 865mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 61g 22%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 19g 39%
Vitamin C 12mg 13%
Calcium 59mg 5%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 627mg 13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.