Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
623 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean, Turkish
Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight)
Description
This traditional recipe starts by browning diced lamb in olive oil in batches to ensure even searing. Onions, garlic, and diced green peppers are sautéed until softened, then diced tomatoes, tomato and optional red pepper pastes, cumin, salt, and pepper are added, followed by chicken stock or water. The stew is simmered uncovered for about 1.5 hours until the lamb is tender and the sauce thickens.
Meanwhile, aubergines are pierced to prevent bursting and roasted until soft and smoky, then peeled and finely chopped. These are blended smoothly with a butter and flour roux incorporating warm milk and seasoned with nutmeg and salt to form a creamy purée. Grated cheddar or kasar cheese is added to enrich the texture and flavor.
The lamb stew is ladled over the smoky aubergine purée and garnished with chopped parsley before serving. The dish offers tender meat with a sweet tomato base combined with a velvety and aromatic eggplant sauce, creating a layered taste experience. This dish is suited for a comforting dinner showcasing both robust meat flavors and creamy vegetable purée.
Adjust seasoning according to store-bought stock salt levels. If cooking aubergine without a BBQ or gas stove, oven roasting at 200°C for about 45 minutes is an alternative method. Removing seeds from cooked aubergine helps reduce bitterness.
Ingredients
Lamb stew
- 800 g lamb diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 green pepper diced, Turkish variety
- 2 large tomato diced
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon red pepper paste (optional, can be replaced with tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup chicken stock 240 ml, or water
Smokey Aubergine Pure
- 750 g eggplant
- 40 g butter
- 40 g all-purpose flour
- 400 ml milk warm, full fat
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 100 g cheddar cheese grated, or kasar cheese (or both
- parsley to garnish, chopped
Instructions
Cooking the Lamb Stew
- Heat a large heavy-based pan or dutch oven on medium to high heat.
- Add olive oil and brown the lamb, do it in 2 batches for a nice and even browning.
- Lower the heat and add the onions. Saute until soft and slightly browned.
- Add the peppers and garlic and cook for a few more minutes without burning the garlic.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper paste, cumin, salt, and black pepper, and give a good stir before adding the chicken stock or water.
- Bring it to a boil, take the lid off and gently simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours or until the lamb is tender.
- Check the liquid and add more if needed. Stir the lamb every half an hour or so to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. If there is too much liquid in the pan, cook further without the lid until the sauce thickens.
- Start preparing the smoky aubergine purée while the lamb is cooking.
Smokey Aubergine (Eggplant) Purée
- Prick the aubergines with a toothpick a few times and place them on a gas burner or BBQ.
- Cook them until the aubergines are softened and the skin is charred turning frequently.
- Alternatively, bake them in a 200° C (390° F) preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the flesh is soft, but they won't have the smokey taste we are after.
- Place the aubergines in a bowl and let them cool down.
- Peel the aubergines and discard the seeds if there are any. Finely chop and place in a sieve to get rid of its bitter water. Set aside until needed.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Whisk in a little of the warm milk at a time, stirring continuously until you have a smooth and velvety sauce. Cook for a few minutes until thickened, stirring continuously.
- Mix in the aubergine, and the grated cheese and season with salt and nutmeg. Keep warm.
- When the lamb is tender and the sauce is rich and thick, remove it from the heat.
- Spoon the aubergine purée on a plate and top it up with some of the lamb stew.
- Garnish with some chopped parsley.
Notes
- Adjust salt carefully when using store-bought stock or stock cubes to avoid oversalting.
- Lamb cooking time varies based on cut and size; cook until meat is tender and sauce thickened.
- Choose slightly firm aubergines; remove seeds after cooking to reduce bitterness if necessary.
- To avoid bursting, prick aubergines with a toothpick before roasting on gas burner, BBQ, or in a 200°C oven for about 45 minutes.
- Drain cooked aubergine in a sieve to remove bitter water before making purée.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 623 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 623kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 38g | 13% |
| Protein | 57g | 114% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 169mg | 56% |
| Sodium | 1467mg | 61% |
| Potassium | 1650mg | 35% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 19g | 38% |
| Vitamin A | 1482IU | 30% |
| Vitamin C | 69mg | 77% |
| Calcium | 375mg | 38% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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