Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight)

5 from 15 votes

Smokey & cheesy eggplant purée topped with slow-cooked lamb stew, an absolute Turkish delight!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Turkish

Diet: Low Salt

Servings: people

Calories: 717kcal

Heat a large heavy-based pan or dutch oven on medium to high heat.
Add olive oil and brown the lamb, do it in 2 batches for a nice and even browning.
Lower the heat and add the onions. Saute until soft and slightly browned.
Add the peppers and garlic and cook for a few more minutes without burning the garlic.
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper paste, cumin, salt, and black pepper, and give a good stir before adding the chicken stock or water.
Bring it to a boil, take the lid off and gently simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours or until the lamb is tender.
Check the liquid and add more if needed. Stir the lamb every half an hour or so to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. If there is too much liquid in the pan, cook further without the lid until the sauce thickens.
Start preparing the smoky aubergine purée while the lamb is cooking.

Prick the eggplants with a toothpick a few times and place them on a gas burner or BBQ.
Cook them until softened, and the skin is charred, turning frequently.
Alternatively, bake them in a 390° F (200° C) preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the flesh is soft, but they won't have the smokey taste we are after.
Place the eggplants in a bowl and let them cool down.
Peel them and discard the seeds if there are any. Finely chop and place in a sieve to get rid of its bitter water. Set aside until needed.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Whisk in a little of the warm milk at a time, stirring continuously until you have a smooth and velvety sauce. Cook for a few minutes until thickened, stirring continuously.
Mix in the eggplant, and the grated cheese and season with salt and nutmeg. Keep warm.
When the lamb is tender and the sauce is rich and thick, remove it from the heat.
Spoon the eggplant purée on a plate and top it with some of the lamb stew.
Garnish with some chopped parsley.

Adding stock to your dishes enhances the flavor. Make sure you reduce the amount of salt when using store-bought stock or stock cubes.
The cooking time for lamb stew will vary depending on the size of the lamb pieces and the cut of the meat.
Pick slightly firm but not hard aubergines when buying them. Discard the seeds after cooking if there are any.
To prevent the aubergines from bursting, prick each one with a toothpick a few times and place them on a gas burner or BBQ.
You can roast the aubergines in the oven if you don't have a BBQ or a gas stove. Preheat the oven to 200°C and then bake them for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft. Although they won't have the smokey taste we are after, they will still taste great!
Place the finely chopped aubergines in a sieve to get rid of their bitter water.