Khoresh Bademjan — Eggplant & Beef Stew Meat Stew

Ingredients

• 1 lb Beef Stew Meat, in cubes
• 3 medium eggplants, peeled and quartered lengthwise
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup ghooreh (unripe grapes) or 3 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch saffron in 2 tbsp hot water
• 5 tbsp oil, divided
• 2 cups water
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Salt the eggplant quarters and rest 20 minutes, then pat dry. Fry them in 3 tbsp oil over medium-high until bronzed and floppy on all sides, 8 minutes. Set aside on paper — they've already done their cooking.
2. In the same pot, soften the onion in the remaining oil, add the turmeric, then brown the Beef Stew Meat well. Stir in the tomato paste and fry 3 minutes until it darkens.
3. Add the water, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 45 minutes for beef until the meat is tender; 20 is plenty for poultry or legumes.
4. Lay the fried eggplant and the tomato halves on top of the stew without stirring — stirring turns them to mush. Add the ghooreh and saffron water, cover, and cook 20 minutes more on low.
5. The sauce should be brick-red and thick, with the eggplant intact but yielding. Serve over basmati with the pieces lifted carefully onto each plate.