Khoresh Bademjan (Persian Beef & Aubergine Stew)

📝 Ingredients

• 600 g braising beef
• 2 brown onions (about 120 g each)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 beef stock cube + 500 ml hot water
• 2 aubergines (about 350 g each)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 240 g basmati rice + 420 ml water
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Flameproof casserole dish with lid
• Baking sheet
• Baking paper
• Pastry brush
• Saucepan with lid

📖 Steps

1. Cut the beef into 3 cm cubes and pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a casserole dish over a high heat and sear the meat in two batches, 3 to 4 min per batch, until well browned on all sides. Set aside.
2. Lower to a medium heat, add the thinly sliced onions and cook for 8 min in the meat juices, scraping the bottom, until soft and golden. Add the chopped garlic and turmeric, then stir for 1 min without letting it burn.
3. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min, stirring. Return the meat and its juices, add the chopped tomatoes and the stock cube dissolved in 500 ml hot water. Season with pepper, bring to a simmer, cover and leave to simmer gently for 1 hr 30 min.
4. After 45 min of simmering, preheat the oven to 210 °C. Peel the aubergines in alternating stripes, cut them lengthways into 2 cm thick slices, salt lightly and brush both sides with the remaining 2 tbsp oil.
5. Spread the aubergine slices out on a tray lined with baking paper and roast for 25 to 30 min, turning halfway, until golden and very tender inside. They replace the traditional frying with far less oil.
6. After 1 hr 30 min of simmering, the meat should fall apart with a fork; if not, cook for another 15 min. Add the lemon juice, season with salt, then lay the roasted aubergines on top without stirring. Cover and cook for 15 more min over a low heat so they soak up the sauce.
7. Meanwhile, rinse the basmati rice 3 times in cold water until the water runs almost clear. Put it in a saucepan with the 420 ml water and a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, cover and cook for 12 min over a very low heat, then leave to stand off the heat for 5 min.
8. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with the piping hot khoresh, placing one or two aubergine slices on each plate. Like all slow-cooked dishes, it's even better reheated the next day and keeps for 3 days in the fridge.