• Khoresh bademjan

    Serves: 4 – 6
    Cooking Time: 1½ – 2 hrs

    Ingredients

    • 1 onion, sliced or chopped
    • 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil + extra, for
    • brushing
    • 1,5kg lamb knuckle, roughly chopped
    • 4 – 5 sun-dried limes, skin pierced
    • salt and freshly ground black
    • pepper, to taste
    • 5ml (1 tsp) turmeric
    • 2,5ml (½ tsp) ground coriander
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) tomato paste
    • 1,25ml (¼ tsp) sugar
    • water, to cover meat
    • 4 large aubergines
    • sour grapes (optional), to serve
    • basmati rice, to serve
    • potato tahdig (optional), to serve
    • sour currants (optional), to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Fry the onion in oil in a deep pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the meat and sun-dried limes and fry until the meat has browned.

    2

    Add salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander, tomato paste and sugar, and stir well. Cover the meat with water and stir. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium and simmer until meat is cooked but still on the bone. Keep checking the gravy level and add water if necessary.

    3

    Preheat oven to 180°C. Peel the aubergines and slice lengthways into 3. Brush lightly with oil. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven until tender and golden, about 15 – 20 minutes.

    4

    Place the roasted aubergine on top of meat in the pot, making sure the gravy covers the aubergines. Cook over low heat, without a lid, for about 30 minutes. The gravy should soak through the aubergines and slightly reduce. The meat and sun-dried limes should be tender. Garnish with sour grapes.

    5

    Serve with basmati rice and potato