Khoresh Bademjan with Beef
An Iranian household stew of beef, eggplant and yellow split peas with tomato paste and lime.
Preparation: 30 min · Cooking: 1 hr 50 min · Total: 2 hr 30 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- 200 g Raw stewing beef, cut into small cubes
- 300 g Trimmed eggplant
- 100 g Dry yellow split peas, before cooking
- Small onion, peeled and chopped — 1
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 0.25 tsp Ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 600 ml Potable water
- 750 ml Pea pre-cooking water, discarded
- 2 tbsp Fresh lime juice
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Additional potable water only if needed; measure actual additions (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the core ingredients
Weigh 200 g raw beef, 300 g trimmed eggplant and 100 g DRY yellow split peas. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from the vegetables. Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; all step quantities describe the 2-serving base. For 1 serving halve every ingredient; for 8 use four times every ingredient. Keep the same food thickness and use more pans or batches, not a deeper vessel. Temperatures and per-batch first-check times do not multiply.
Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from the vegetables.
Pre-cook the peas separately
Simmer the peas in 750 ml separate water until fully tender, following the package and checking from 30 minutes. Add measured water if needed to keep them covered. Drain; this water is not stew liquid.
Drain; this water is not stew liquid.
Pre-cook the peas separately: 1800 seconds
Brown the stew base
Soften the chopped onion in 1 tbsp stew oil over medium heat. Add beef and 0.25 tsp turmeric; brown from 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and pepper for 1 minute without scorching.
Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and pepper for 1 minute without scorching.
Braise until nearly tender
Add 600 ml hot retained water and bring to a boil. Cover with a normal fitted lid and simmer gently from 60 minutes until beef is nearly fork-tender. If necessary add measured hot water to prevent drying.
If necessary add measured hot water to prevent drying.
Braise until nearly tender: 3600 seconds
Salt and dry the eggplant
Slice the eggplant lengthwise and salt lightly. Rest 20 minutes, then pat dry; salting is a preparation choice, not a guarantee of removing all bitterness.
Rest 20 minutes, then pat dry; salting is a preparation choice, not a guarantee of removing all bitterness.
Pan-fry the eggplant
Pan-fry the dry slices over medium heat using the separate 2 tbsp oil across batches. Turn until golden and softened; use a non-stick pan and avoid overcrowding.
Turn until golden and softened; use a non-stick pan and avoid overcrowding.
Finish the stew gently
Add fully cooked peas and fried eggplant to nearly tender beef. Simmer covered from 30 minutes until beef is fork-tender and eggplant cooked through. Add 2 tbsp lime juice and seasoning during the LAST 10 minutes of this stage, not an extra 10-minute simmer.
Add 2 tbsp lime juice and seasoning during the LAST 10 minutes of this stage, not an extra 10-minute simmer.
Check and serve warm
Check several beef pieces for fork tenderness and peas for complete softness before serving warm. A 90°C reading is not a universal meat safety minimum; whole-cut beef guidance is 63°C with 3 minutes rest, while this stew cooks longer for tenderness.
A 90°C reading is not a universal meat safety minimum; whole-cut beef guidance is 63°C with 3 minutes rest, while this stew cooks longer for tenderness.
Tips
- Use the scaled ingredient list for 1–8 servings; all step quantities describe the 2-serving base. For 1 serving halve every ingredient; for 8 use four times every ingredient. Keep the same food thickness and use more pans or batches, not a deeper vessel. Temperatures and per-batch first-check times do not multiply.
Common mistakes
- Use clean utensils and separate raw ingredients from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate perishables at 4°C or colder; discard after more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 32°C.
Substitutions
- Keep the specified ingredients, preparation states and measured quantities; no unmeasured substitution is approved for this master.
Storage
Cover and refrigerate at 4°C or colder; use within 2 days, never beyond ingredient use-by limits. These are selected household limits, not validated shelf life. Cool cooked food promptly in shallow portions and refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C.
Reheating
Reheat once until steaming throughout and 74°C in the centre; do not rely on surface warmth.
About this recipe
An Iranian household stew of beef, eggplant and yellow split peas with tomato paste and lime.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.