Kashk-e Bademjan
Kashk e bademjan (Persian: کشک بادمجان) is an Iranian and Azerbaijani dish, that literally translates in Persian as “kashk and eggplant”. It can be considered either an appetizer or a main dish. There are various recipes for this dish, involving caramelized onions, roasted nuts, herbs and spices.
Preparing Ingredients
- 3 medium Chinese or Italian eggplants, peeled
- 4 TBSP vegetable oil 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup water
- ⅓–1/2 tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly cracked pepper
- 1/16 tsp cayenne pepper powder
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced medium
- 3 TBSP vegetable oil
- 2 tsp crushed dried mint leaves
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt A few fresh mint leaves add a nice touch as garnish (optional)
Fry the Eggplants
Quick fry the eggplants to a golden brown over medium high heat. Add minced garlic and spices.
Add very little water, cover the skillet and cook over low heat until the eggplant is very tender.
Mash the Cooked Eggplant
Mash the cooked eggplant to very small pieces with a potato masher or a fork.
Preparing Walnuts
Process the walnuts until very fine, but watch it closely and stop the food processor before it turns to paste.
Almost Done
Fry the diced onion to a golden brown. Remove from heat and add crushed dried mint leaves; fresh mint leaves do not make a good substitute in this recipe. Combine with ground walnuts and yogurt. Transfer to the serving bowl and add garnish.
Decoration
A few fresh mint leaves are used as garnish here for color contrast and a beautiful presentation. Serve Kashke Bademjan warm or at room temperature with toasted flat bread.
Bon Appétit
Grill-Roast Eggplant Tips [Best Cooking Tricks]
For the Eggplant with Fragrant Spices and the Eggplant & Pepper Dip, the eggplant needs a smoky taste. To achieve this, pierce the eggplant with a skewer and cook it whole and unpeeled directly over a grill flame until the skin is blackened all over and the flesh is thoroughly soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Grill-roasting can get messy, so if you’re trying this over an indoor gas flame, line the burner trays with foil or try broiling the pierced eggplant instead. Peel off the blackened skin, drain the flesh in a colander, and squeeze out all the moisture.
sources: