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With the release of Exodus’ cookbook, A Taste of Adventure, we’re offering you a sneak preview of the recipes collated by our globetrotting gastronomes.
This Kashk a Bademjan recipe is straight out of Iran, and makes a delicious, quick mid-week treat, taking under 45 minutes from ingredients to plate. Each recipe comes with a story, sent to us by one of our travellers, leaders or staff members.
This one, from Product Manager Tom Harari, takes us across to Iran, one of the biggest headline-grabbing destinations of the past two years since the FCO advice changed and travellers started to return. This recipe combines traditional ingredients with a refreshing twist to make a delectable aubergine stew.
Iran mosque
Tom says, “Aubergine is the Iranian potato, and aubergine stew in various forms is very popular all over Iran. Without a doubt, the best one we had was in the troglodyte village of Maymand. People have lived in the cave dwellings there for a long time and a few still live in them today.
After exploring the village we were invited to one of the dwellings for lunch. Laid out on a rug on the floor, were bowls of the most delicious aubergine stew. We all agreed it was the best meal we had in our two weeks travelling around Iran.”
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How to Make Kashk e Bademjan
Serves: 4 Prepare: 15 minutes Cook: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 aubergines, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp kashk, Greek yoghurt or full-fat soured cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- To garnish 2 tbsp coarsely chopped walnuts Small fresh mint leaves
Method
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and when really hot, add the aubergine slices and fry until they have softened and are turning golden. Drain the slices from the pan onto a plate lined with kitchen paper towel.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, lower the heat and fry the onion until softened. Add the garlic and turmeric and fry for a further 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dried mint.
- Reserve a spoonful of the onion mixture for garnish. Mash or blend the aubergine to a purée. Add the purée to the frying pan and stir into the onion mixture with the kashk (or yoghurt or soured cream, if using) and dried mint.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the pan to a low heat to warm everything through. Spoon into a serving dish and scatter the chopped walnuts, mint leaves and reserved onion mix over the top. Serve as a light meal or as a dip with flatbreads.
The finished meal Kashk a Bademjan If we’ve inspired you to visit the Middle East, browse our tours below.
