Eggplant with Fermented Yogurt

Eggplant with Fermented Yogurt - Kashk-e-Bademjan

It’s safe to say that this dish (Kashk-e-Bademjan) is loved by most Iranians, and I’ve made it quite a few times for friends and it’s got the thumbs up!

It’s wonderful eaten with toasted flat bread, pitta or if you can get your hands on Iranian bread; sangak, lavash or the like then even better.

Ingredients

2 Eggplants (peeled, washed and thinly sliced length ways)

1 onion finely chopped

1/2 cup vegetable oil (for frying the eggplant)

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 tbsp sea salt ( this is for rubbing on the eggplants, but will be washed off later)

3 cloves garlic crushed

3 tsp dried ground mint

2 tbsp fermented yogurt

1/2 cup cold water

Please note that in the layered picture above I sliced and fried one additional eggplant with the skin and have then put the Kashk-e-Bademjan mix in-between the layers of the fried eggplant.

Method

Step 1

• Peel, wash and thinly slice (1/2 cm thickness) the eggplant length ways.

• Rub salt over the eggplants and let it rest for 10 minutes, this removes any bitterness from the eggplant.

• After 10 minutes wash the eggplants thoroughly under water to get rid of all the salt.

• Dab the eggplant dry with a kitchen towel to remove the moisture. Set aside.

Step 2

• Place a large frying pan on medium heat and pour 1/2 cup oil.

• Once heated up place the eggplants neatly in the frying pan.

• Allow to become dark golden brown on both sides.

• Remove and place in a separate plate.

Step 3

• In the the same oil fry the onions until golden brown.

• Add the turmeric and fry for 30 seconds in the onion.

• Add 2 tsp of dry mint, and 1/4 tsp black pepper and fry for another 30 seconds.

• Reduce the heat to low and add the eggplant to the pan.

• Add 1/2 cup of cold water and 1 1/2 tbsp of fermented yogurt.

• Crush 2 garlic cloves and add to the pan.

• Slowly mush the eggplant so that all the ingredients in the pan become one.

Step 4

• Once completely mushed place in a serving plate. Alternatively you could fry extra aubergines and place the Kashk-e-Bademjan in-between the layers of fried aubergines like I have in the image below

• In either the same pan to pick up the flavours or a separate pan add 1/2 tbsp of fermented yogurt, 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water, 1 teaspoon dry mint and 1 crushed garlic clove.

• Mix over medium heat for 1 minute until slightly thickens. Pour over the eggplant.

• Sprinkle some toasted walnuts over the eggplant

Serve with warm flat bread or Iranian sangak or lavash.

Happy eating 🙂