Ali Nazik Kebab and Hunkar Begendi

https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2014/09/ali-nazik-kebab-lamb-stew-over-smoked-eggplant-and-yoghurt-puree/

Ingredients

• For the eggplant and yoghurt puree:
• 4 medium purple eggplants
• 16 fl. oz. / 2 cup thick, whole milk yoghurt (brand Fage works well)
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed and finely diced
• 15ml/1 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• For the meat topping:
• 450gr/1 lb. small chunks of lamb (or meat of your choice)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• ½ tbsp. red pepper paste or 2 tsp. chili flakes (optional, if you like a spicy taste)
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 30ml/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 30 ml/ 2 tbsp. water
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• For the roasted vegetables:
• 3 medium tomatoes, quartered
• 1 green, yellow and red bell peppers, deseeded and quartered
• 1 onion, quartered and sliced
• 30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Handful of chopped flat leaf parsley to serve
• Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F
  2. First prepare the eggplants. Place the eggplants or aubergines directly over the burner on medium heat and roast for about 15 - 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
  3. Use metal tongs to turn the eggplants around so that all sides would cook evenly and the skin is nicely chargrilled. Cook until the skin is burnt and the flesh is soft (you can also cook this way over barbeque).
  4. Remove the cooked eggplants to a colander to allow them to cool. Once cool, peel and discard their burnt skin and leave them in the colander to drain its bitter juices. I like to gently squeeze the eggplant flesh to drain as much water as possible.
  5. Chop the flesh of the eggplant and mix in the chopped garlic, season with salt and ground black pepper. Combine well, cover and set aside until the lamb stew is ready (If you’d like to prepare the eggplants a day ahead of time, then mix the eggplant mash with juice of ½ lemon to help retain its color and keep in the fridge, covered).
  6. To roast the vegetables, spread the quartered and sliced onions, tomatoes and peppers in a tray and stir in 2 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and ground black pepper and combine well. Roast at the preheated oven (180 C/ 350 F) for 30 – 35 minutes.
  7. For the lamb stew, cut the lamb into chunky, generous bite size pieces.
  8. Pour in 2 tbsp. olive oil in a wide, heavy pan and stir in the diced onions. Sauté over medium to high heat for 3 minutes, the onions will start to soften.
  9. Stir in the lamb pieces and sauté with the onions for 5 minutes, mixing regularly. The lamb will release its juice.
  10. Add the red pepper paste and/or red pepper flakes (if using) and tomato paste to the pan, combine well. Check the seasoning and turn the heat to low. Stir in 2 tbsp. water, combine and cover the pan. Simmer the lamb gently for about 20 minutes, until tender.
  11. Just before serving, pour in 1 tbsp. olive oil in a pan and gently reheat the eggplant & garlic puree until it is hot. Turn the heat off and stir the yoghurt to the eggplant pure and combine well.
  Notes

  To get the smoky flavor for the eggplants, I highly recommend roasting them over a coal fire or over the gas burner (In Turkey, a very simple gadget called “Kozmatik” is used to cook the aubergines over the burner. It has a steel base with holes on it, a genius idea to cook if you can get it). It makes a bit of a mess but the smoky taste of the eggplants is well worth it. You can cook the eggplants a day ahead of time. Once mashed, mix with juice of ½ lemon to help retain its color and keep in the fridge, covered.

Hungar Begendi

https://www.linsfood.com/hunkar-begendi-sultans-delight/

The Lamb Stew

• ▢900 g leg of lamb diced
• ▢2 Tbsp flour
• ▢1 tsp mild chilli powder
• ▢½ tsp salt
• ▢freshly ground black pepper
• ▢3 Tbsp olive oil
• ▢1 tsp sugar
• ▢2 medium onions halved then sliced
• ▢1 green capsicum bell pepper, halved, then sliced in 1cm/half in strips
• ▢4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• ▢4 medium tomatoes roughly chopped, about 2.5cm/1 in
• ▢2 Tbsp sundried tomato paste
• ▢1 tsp dried oregano
• ▢500 ml chicken stock

• Beğendi

  • ▢4 medium aubergines eggplants
  • ▢3 Tbsp butter
  • ▢3 Tbsp flour
  • ▢500 ml whole milk
  • ▢30 g parmesan cheese grated
  • ▢30 g medium cheddar grated
  • ▢salt and pepper
  • ▢1 large handful fresh parsley chopped

  • Instructions

    Let’s start by preparing the aubergines.

    • Place the aubergines over an open flame on a metal trivet and roast for about 15 – 20 minutes, turning from time to time, until the skin looks burnt and the aubergines are soft to the touch. You could also just place a sheet of foil over the gas flame, instead of a trivet. Leave to cool.

    While the aubergines are roasting, let’s make the lamb stew.

    • Coat the lamb pieces with the flour, the chilli powder, the salt and a little freshly ground black pepper.
    • Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over high heat, add the lamb and sugar and brown the lamb pieces for 5 minutes, turning the lamb frequently.
    • Lower the heat down to medium and tip in the onion slices and fry for 2 minutes, again, stirring frequently.
    • Add the garlic and capsicum (green pepper) and cook for a minute, stirring.
    • Now add the tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano and stir for 30 seconds to mix everything thoroughly.
    • Add the stock and bring to boil.
    • Lower the heat right down, cover and leave to simmer for 1 – 1 and a half hours, until the lamb is cooked right through and beautifully tender.

    Let’s make the Beğendi.

    • The aubergines should be fairly cool now, scrape out the soft pulp and place in a chopper. Throw away the skins.
    • Chop or blend to a smooth purée and set aside.
    • Now, let’s make some Bechamel Sauce. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat.
    • Add the flour and whisk with a small whisk or wooden spoon for 2 minutes until the roux has thickened, is bubbling and gives off a lovely cooked aroma.
    • Slowly, add the milk, whisking continuously. Be careful, the first drip will splutter.
    • Cook the bechamel sauce for 4 – 5 minutes until it thickens to the consistency of custard.
    • Take it off the heat and stir in both cheeses until they melt. Shouldn’t take more than a minute.
    • Now, stir in the aubergine purée, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper until it’s all completely mixed in and you have a beautiful aubergine cheese sauce. Check the salt and add more if necessary.
    • Stir in half the chopped parsley.

    To Serve

    • You have 2 choices: serve the whole lot in a large platter or divide everything into individual plates. Whatever you go with, pour the smoky aubergine sauce onto a plate and top with the lamb stew.
    • Scatter with the other half of the parsley and serve with plenty of bread.