Hünkâr Beğendi (Sultan's Delight)

A rich and tender lamb stew served over a creamy, smoky eggplant puree, a truly delightful and historic Turkish dish.

• Prep: 35 min
• Cook: 1 hr 30 min
• Total: 2 hr 5 min
• Servings: 3
• Cuisine: Turkish
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $6.27/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Fiber

Tags

• stir-fry
• comfort food
• rich
• smoky
• classic

Ingredients

• 1 pound lamb shoulder (boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, chopped)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1.5 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1.5 teaspoon salt (divided)
• 0.75 teaspoon black pepper (ground, divided)
• 2 eggplants (medium)
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter (divided)
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cup whole milk (warm)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
• 0.5 crusty bread

Instructions

1. For the lamb stew, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb shoulder cubes in batches, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove lamb and set aside.
2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Sauté the yellow onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper, cooking for another 5-7 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, water or beef broth, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Return the lamb to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 60-75 minutes, or until the lamb is very tender.
4. While the stew simmers, preheat oven to 400°F. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork. Roast whole eggplants directly on the oven rack for 40-50 minutes, turning halfway, until very soft and collapsed. Alternatively, char them directly over a gas flame until the skin is blackened and blistered, then transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap for 15 minutes to steam.
5. Once cooled enough to handle, peel the skin from the eggplants. Roughly chop the flesh, discarding any tough stem. You should have about 2 cups of eggplant pulp.
6. In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to create a roux. Gradually whisk in the warm whole milk until smooth and thickened. Continue to cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until the flour taste is cooked out.
7. Stir the roasted eggplant pulp into the milk mixture. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring, until heated through and well combined. The mixture should be thick and creamy.
8. To serve, spread a portion of the eggplant beğendi onto plates. Spoon the tender lamb stew over the top. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

For an even smokier eggplant flavor, you can char the eggplants directly over a gas flame on your stovetop until the skin is completely blackened, then proceed with the recipe.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 817
• Protein: 29.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 93.9 g
• Fat: 38.2 g
• Fiber: 19.5 g
• Sodium: 2730 mg
• Saturated Fat: 16.3 g
• Sugar: 31.1 g
• Cholesterol: 69 mg