Strongly roast eggplants
Dark charred peel is desired here, as long as only the soft flesh is used. It produces the typical smoke aroma of the Beğendi.
Turkish Recipe
Hünkar Beğendi
The lamb tasted slowly in tomato and paprika sauce. At the same time, eggplants are roasted dark, drained and then stirred into the smooth béchamel.
Total time
2 hr 10 min
Calories
710 kcal
Servings
6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Lamb ragout on smoky eggplant purée
Hünkar Beğendi is often translated as Sultan's delight. The combination of two independent components is crucial: a slowly stewed, tomato lamb ragout and Beğendi, a creamy puree made from smoky roasted eggplants, bechamel and cheese. The eggplants are allowed to become almost black on the outside so that their fruit flesh gets the typical roasted flavors. After peeling, it must drain off, otherwise the sauce waters. The ragout is only placed on the puree when it is prepared, so that both textures remain recognisable.
Mediterranean Cuisine
Lunch
Dinner
Meat
Recipe
Hünkar Beğendi
Hünkar Beğendi serves delicate lamb ragout on a smoky eggplant purée with béchamel sauce and cheese – a classic Ottoman main dish.
Ingredients
6 servings
Method
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1
Fry lamb in portions
Dip lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a heavy pot and fry meat in three portions all around brown. Remove.
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2
Aromatic Ragout
Fry onions and green peppers softly in the same pot for 6 minutes. Roast garlic, tomato paste and pepper paste for 2 minutes.
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3
Slowly stew lamb
Add the meat, chopped tomatoes and 400 ml of water. Covered for 65 to 75 minutes until the lamb is soft. Add water if necessary.
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4
Dark roasting eggplants
Insert all around the eggplant and turn under the very hot oven grill for 30 to 40 minutes until the skin is black and the inside is completely soft.
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5
Drain the flesh
Let the eggplant cool for 5 minutes, cut open and dissolve the soft flesh. Drain in a sieve for 10 minutes, then chop coarsely and mix with lemon juice.
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6
Boil Béchamel without clumps
Melt butter in a saucepan, stir flour for 2 minutes. Stir in warm milk in several portions and cook gently for 6 to 8 minutes until the sauce is thick and smooth.
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7
To complete Beğendi
Stir the aubergines and grated cheese into the béchamel. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and heat gently for only 2 minutes.
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8
Ragout open focus
Remove the lid from the meat pot and cook sauce for 5 to 10 minutes if necessary until it covers the delicate lamb. Season.
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9
Arrange Separate Components
Paint eggplant puree on preheated plates, place lamb ragout in the middle and sprinkle with parsley.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Hünkar Beğendi
Drain the flesh
Aubergines store a lot of water. Ten minutes in the sieve prevent the finished puree from becoming thin and water cheese as well as bechamel.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace lamb with beef shoulder and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the piece, until the cubes can easily be split with the fork.
Replace Ragout with a well-cooked stew of chickpeas, zucchini and tomatoes. Prepare the eggplant puree unchanged.
Nutrition per serving
710kcal
29.0 gCarbohydrates
47.0 gProtein
45.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Hünkar Beğendi
The name is usually referred to as The Sultan was enchanted or Sultan's delight and refers to the ragout on creamy eggplant purée.
No. A very hot oven grill also works. The bowl must become dark and the flesh must be completely soft.
Aubergines oxidise after peeling. Instant mixing with a little lemon juice and rapid further processing limit the discoloration.
The ragout can be cooked the day before. Aubergines can be roasted; bechamel and puree are freshly combined for the best consistency.
Stir in tablespoons of warm milk and heat only gently. Strong cooking can make cheese and bechamel grainy.
Keep cooking