Hünkar Beğendi (Ottoman Eggplant Purée with Lamb Stew) Recipe
Hünkar Beğendi is a classic Turkish dish featuring a rich lamb stew served over a creamy, smoky roasted eggplant purée. The eggplants are roasted until soft, blended into a luscious béchamel-based sauce, and topped with tender, slow-simmered lamb seasoned with tomato, garlic, and herbs. This comforting meal combines succulent meat with velvety, flavorful eggplant for an elegant and satisfying dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplant Purée (Beğendi)
- 1 kg eggplants (about 4 large eggplants)
- 50 g butter (about 3½ tablespoons)
- 50 g all-purpose (plain) flour (about ⅓ cup)
- 400 ml milk (about 1⅔ cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper (to taste)
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Optional: cheese for stirring into the sauce (not specified amount)
Lamb Stew
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 kg diced lamb (about 2.2 lb)
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme (kekik)
- 350 ml hot water (about 1½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Roast the eggplants: Preheat your oven to 230°C / 450°F. Pierce the eggplants several times with a knife or fork, place on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and roast for about 40 minutes until completely soft.
- Brown the lamb: While the eggplants roast, heat a large pan over medium-high heat and melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the diced lamb in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Brown the lamb on all sides until nicely seared. Remove and set aside.
- Make the stew base: In the same pan, add diced onions and cook until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for about 15 seconds more, then add peeled and diced tomatoes along with tomato paste. Cook this mixture for around 5 minutes, stirring to combine flavors. Return the browned lamb to the pan, stir, and season with salt, black pepper, and oregano or thyme.
- Simmer the lamb stew: Pour in 350 ml of hot water, just enough to cover the meat. Lower the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the stew simmer gently for about 1 hour or until the lamb is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary.
- Prepare the roasted eggplants: Once roasted, place the hot eggplants in a large bowl, cover with a lid or cling film, and let sit for 5 minutes to loosen the skin. Peel off the skins, discard any large seeds, then finely chop and mash the flesh until puréed.
- Make the beğendi sauce: In a saucepan, melt 50 g butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook while stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth, slightly golden, and bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk and continue cooking until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth and creamy, similar to a loose custard.
- Combine mashed eggplants with sauce: Stir the mashed eggplants into the béchamel sauce until fully incorporated. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Finish and serve: Optionally, stir cheese into the sauce at this point until melted to add richness. Spoon the creamy eggplant purée onto plates and top with the lamb stew. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Roasting the eggplants over high heat imparts a smoky flavor essential to the authenticity of the beğendi sauce.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when browning lamb to ensure nice caramelization and flavor development.
- Simmer the lamb gently to keep it tender and flavorful.
- Optional cheese such as mild kashar or parmesan can be added to the beğendi for extra creaminess.
- Use fresh herbs or dried oregano/thyme based on availability and personal preference.
Keywords: Hünkar Beğendi, Turkish lamb stew, roasted eggplant sauce, Turkish cuisine, lamb recipes, traditional Turkish dishes
