Gheymeh Bademjan

• servings: Ingredients (4 servings
• total time: 2 hours 31 minutes

Ingredients

500 g beef stew meat (e.g., chuck)

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 dried limes (limoo amani) – soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

2 dl dried yellow split peas (Persian "lapeh")

1-2 medium eggplants

2-3 tbsp tomato paste

4-5 dl water

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp mixed spices (advieh)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Salt and black pepper to taste

Oil for frying

Serving:

Persian basmati rice, recipe available in previous videos.

Directions

Prepare the Eggplants:

Peel and slice the eggplants into long pieces.

Lightly salt them and let sit for about 30 minutes to reduce bitterness.

Rinse and dry them.

Fry in oil until golden and soft. Place on paper towels to drain.

Cook the Meat:

Sauté the onion in a bit of oil until golden.

Add garlic, turmeric, and then the meat. Brown well.

Sprinkle in cinnamon, mixed spices, salt, and pepper. Stir.

Add tomato paste and sauté for another minute.

Pour in water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil.

Add the dried limes (poke holes in them with a fork first).

Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 1-1.5 hours until the meat is tender.

Cook the Peas:

Cook the dried peas in a separate pot in lightly salted water for about 20-30 minutes, or until nearly soft (not mushy). Drain and set aside.

Assemble the Stew:

When the meat is almost done, add the cooked peas to the stew.

Place the fried eggplants and a fried tomato on top. Let simmer for about 20 minutes without stirring too much (to prevent breaking the eggplants).

Taste:

Adjust salt and pepper. If you want more acidity, add a bit of lemon juice.

Serving Tips:

Serve the stew hot with freshly cooked Persian rice, optionally topped with saffron. You can also garnish with fried potato strips for an extra