Kashk-e-Bademjan (Roasted Persian Eggplant with Whey Dip)
Ingredients
- 4 large eggplants
- 3 medium onions, finely sliced
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup finely ground walnuts
- ½ cup liquid kashk or thick sour yogurt
- salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
Garnish
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 small onion, crispy fried
- 6 pieces Bam dates, pitted and quartered (optional)
- 2 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2-3 spoons of liquid kashk
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 200°C. Prick the eggplants with a fork, place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool. Slice the eggplant open, and scoop out the flesh.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, on medium heat, sauté the onions with olive oil until it becomes golden brown. Remove quarter of it and set aside. Add the garlic, and fry until fragrant. Lower heat, add the turmeric powder and dried mint, and fry for a minute. To it, add the roasted eggplant and one cup of water; cover the pan and leave to simmer on medium heat for 10–15 minutes until the liquid has reduced. Mash the eggplants with a fork and mix in the ground walnuts and kashk. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and keep aside.
- For the garnish, first fry the dried mint and turmeric powder in a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil, and set aside. Wipe the pan and fry the sliced garlic in a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden, set aside. Melt butter and fry bam dates, set aside.
- Serve the eggplants on the same pot garnish with a drizzle of kashk, fried dried mint, fried sliced garlic, chopped walnuts, Bam dates, and crispy onions.