Halim Bademjan

Soak Rice and Lentils

Soak the rice in salted water for about an hour. Soak the lentils separately in another bowl. Soaking helps the ingredients cook more evenly and quickly later. You can use just rice or just lentils, but the combination of both creates a particularly harmonious and delicious result.

Remove Bitterness from Eggplants

Peel the eggplants and cut them lengthwise into slices about 1 cm thick. Prepare a bowl of water and salt – the correct ratio is important: about 50 g of salt per liter of water. Soak the eggplant slices in this mixture for at least 30 minutes. Then pat them dry thoroughly to remove excess moisture and prevent them from absorbing too much oil during frying. This step helps remove the bitterness and gives the eggplants a milder and better flavor.

Prepare the Meat

Meanwhile, roughly cut the meat. For especially tender texture, we recommend lamb neck or the tender core meat of the lamb leg. Place the meat pieces in a pot, cover with water, and add a cinnamon stick, peeled garlic cloves, and a bit of pepper. Simmer over medium heat until the meat is tender and the broth has reduced by half. This may take around 2 hours. If available, a pressure cooker can be used to shorten the cooking time. Avoid adding more water during cooking to preserve the flavor. Once the meat is tender, remove it from the broth and shred it finely with a fork.

Don’t eat meat? No problem – try Kashk-e Bademjan. It’s a very similar eggplant-based recipe without meat.

Roast the Eggplants

Depending on your preferences and available equipment, there are various ways to prepare the eggplants: The classic method is frying in a pan. Add some oil to a pan and fry the eggplant slices on both sides until golden brown.

For a low-fat option, you can bake the eggplants in the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 °C and lightly brush the eggplant slices with oil. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 20 minutes until soft and slightly browned. Flip the slices halfway through for even cooking.

For a smoky flavor, grill the eggplants over an open flame. Whole eggplants with skin are grilled directly on a grill or over a gas flame until the skin is charred, and the flesh is soft. To remove the skin more easily, place the roasted eggplants in a closed container, allowing steam to loosen the skin.

After roasting, mash the eggplants with a fork to refine their texture and prepare them for the next step.

Cook Rice and Lentils

Put the soaked rice and lentils into a large pot and add water so the ingredients are covered by about a fingertip. Cook over medium heat until the water is almost fully absorbed, and the ingredients are soft. Stir gently from time to time to prevent sticking.

Onions and Na’na Daq

Cut the onions into thin strips and sauté them in a pan with a little oil until golden brown, then remove and set aside. In the same pan, sauté the finely chopped garlic, season with turmeric, and continue frying briefly. Then add dried mint and briefly roast. This aromatic mixture is called Na’na Daq (نعنا داغ) and is used both in the dish and as a topping later.

Add Eggplants and Meat

Add the cooked rice and lentils to the pot along with the eggplants and meat. Also add enough meat broth to round out the flavor. The amount of broth is key: If you want to enjoy Halim Bademjan as a dip with bread, use less broth to achieve a creamy texture – as shown in our video. If you prefer it more like a stew to be eaten with a spoon, simply add more broth. Traditionally, as the name “Halim” suggests, Halim Bademjan is often prepared as a stew.

Add Kashk

Stir everything well and let it simmer for a while. Now comes our special ingredient: Kashk! Stir in about half of the kashk along with a third of the roasted onions and some of our Na’na Daq. Let the mixture simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

Kashk is a fermented dairy product from Persian cuisine. It gives Halim Bademjan its creamy texture and slightly tangy flavor. If Kashk is not available, crème fraîche can be used as a substitute – the texture will be similar.

Blend and Finalize

Use a potato masher or similar tool to blend the mixture into a smooth, creamy consistency. Alternatively, a blender can be used. In Isfahan, the dish was traditionally kneaded by hand – a technique known as “Kaf Mal”. Once the desired consistency is reached, return the pureed dish to the stove. Stir in another third of the roasted onions and some Na’na Daq, season with pepper, and add one third of the kashk during the final 10 minutes of cooking. Salt is usually not necessary, as Kashk is already salty.

Want to follow the preparation step by step? Check out our video tutorial, where we explain all the steps in detail!

Finish and Serve with Bread

Transfer the finished Halim Bademjan to a bowl and garnish with walnuts, roasted onions, Kashk, and the remaining Na’na Daq. Traditionally, it is served as a stew, but it also tastes wonderful as a dip with bread, such as Taftoon. Simply take a small piece of bread, add some Halim Bademjan, optionally top with fresh herbs, and repeat until pleasantly full ☺️. These little bites are called Loghme (لقمه) in Persian. Alternatively, slices of baguette can be used, with the Halim Bademjan spread on top.

For more recipes and inspiration, visit our recipe page!