Roast the eggplant vigorously
Dark charred peel is desirable here, as long as only the soft flesh is used. It produces the typical smoke aroma of beğendi.
Turkish Recipe
Hünkar Beğendi
The lamb stews slowly in tomato and pepper sauce. At the same time, aubergines are roasted dark, drained and only at the end 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 puree
Hünkar Beğendi is often translated as Sultan's delight. It is the combination of two distinct components that is crucial: a slow-braised, tomato-flavoured lamb ragout and Beğendi, a creamy puree of smoky roasted eggplant, béchamel and cheese. The eggplants may almost turn black on the outside to give their flesh its typical roasted flavour. It must drain after peeling, otherwise the sauce will be watered down. The ragout is placed on top of the puree only when serving, so that both textures remain recognisable.
Mediterranean Cuisine
Lunch
Dinner
Meat
Recipe
Hünkar Beğendi
Hünkar Beğendi serves tender lamb ragout on a smoky eggplant purée with béchamel sauce and cheese - a classic Ottoman main course.
Ingredients
6 servings
Method
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1
Roast lamb in portions
Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and brown the meat in three portions all around. Remove.
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2
Ragout aromatic starting
Fry the onions and green peppers in the same pan for 6 minutes until soft. Fry the garlic, tomato paste and pepper paste for 2 minutes.
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3
Braise lamb slowly
Return the meat, chopped tomatoes and 400 ml water to the pan. Cover and simmer gently for 65 to 75 minutes until the lamb is tender. Add water if necessary.
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4
Roast the aubergines dark
Prick the aubergines all around and turn them 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 it open and remove the soft flesh. Drain in a sieve for 10 minutes, then chop coarsely and mix with lemon juice.
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6
Béchamel lump-free cooking
Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in 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 eggplant and grated cheese into the béchamel. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and heat gently for 2 minutes.
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8
Ragout open
Remove the lid from the meat pot and boil the sauce for 5 to 10 minutes, if necessary, until it coats the tender lamb. Season to taste.
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9
Arrange separate components
Spread the eggplant puree on a warmed plate, top with lamb ragout and sprinkle with parsley.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Hünkar Beğendi
Drain the flesh
Aubergines store a lot of water. Strain for ten minutes to prevent the finished puree from thinning and to water down the cheese and béchamel.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace lamb with beef shoulder and braise for 15 to 25 minutes longer, depending on the piece, until the cubes can be easily divided with a fork.
Replace the ragout with a stew of chickpeas, zucchini and tomatoes, and prepare the aubergine puree unchanged.
Nutrition per serving
710kcal
29.0 gCarbohydrates
47.0 gProtein
45.0 gFat
Values are estimates 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 used to describe the ragout on creamy eggplant puree, The Sultan Was Delighted or Sultan's Delight.
No. A very hot oven grill also works. The skin must be dark and the flesh completely soft.
Eggplant oxidizes after peeling. Immediate mixing with a little lemon juice and rapid processing limit the discoloration.
The ragout can be cooked the day before. Eggplant can be roasted; béchamel and puree are freshly combined for the best consistency.
Stir in tablespoons of warm milk and heat gently. Boil until cooked, and you can make cheese and béchamel granular.
Keep cooking