Recipe & Video Hunkar Begendi Recipe - Turkish Lamb Stew with Smoked Eggplant Bechamel

[Hungry Man]

Hunkar Begendi

View: https://youtu.be/Eda-SMcoEnc


Ingredients:

• 500 g lamb
• 1 kg eggplants
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1.5 cup milk
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tomatoes
• 500 ml hot water
• 150 g shredded kasar cheese (alternatively: mozzarella or gruyere)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. First, roast the eggplants on stove top, charcoal or in the oven
2. Transfer the eggplants into a bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let them cool down
3. Dice the lamb into medium size cubes
4. Chop the onions and roughly chop the garlics
5. In a pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and add 1 tbsp olive oil
6. Add the onions and cook until they are slighlty brown and fragrant
7. Once the onions are browned, add the chopped garlics
8. Add the lamb and cook until it releases it’s juice and cooked until no liquid remains
9. Then add 2 tbsp tomato paste; stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste is cooked
10. Add 500 ml hot water to barely cover the meat, stir and cover the lid and bring to low heat
11. Let it simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce is thickened and the lamb is tender
12. Next, dice the tomatoes, add them into the pan
13. Season with black pepper and salt to taste
14. Cover the lid and let it cook for another 15 minutes
15. In the meantime, peel the skin of the eggplants and finely chop into small pieces
16. In a sauce pan, to prepare the béchamel sauce, add 2 tbsp butter and let it melt on low heat
17. Add 2 tbsp flour and stir constantly to roast the flour until combined with the butter
18. Gradually add the milk while constantly stirring until it’s smooth and creamy
19. Add the eggplants and stir to combine with the béchamel
20. Add the shredded cheese and season with pepper and salt; turn off the heat and stir to combine
21. Layer the eggplant bechamel (begendi) on a plate and serve the meat on top with the sauce
22. Garnish with chopped parsley (optional)

 

[Timenspace]

Is there a story behind Kadaif?

 

[Hungry Man]

Is there a story behind Kadaif?

Kadaif is a broad term in Turkish cuisine, both referring to the shredded file pastry as an ingredient and also the dessert made with it (similar to kunafa but without the cheese inside). Which one are you referring to?

 

[Timenspace]

Kadaif is a broad term in Turkish cuisine, both referring to the shredded file pastry as an ingredient and also the dessert made with it (similar to kunafa but without the cheese inside). Which one are you referring to?

Really? Oh well that is a lesson right there, lovely! Mainly to the shredded file pastry...but if there is a catchy story on the dessert, I am all ears, please, thank you!

 

[Hungry Man]

Really? Oh well that is a lesson right there, lovely! Mainly to the shredded file pastry...but if there is a catchy story on the dessert, I am all ears, please, thank you!

Well, there is not a story but the word kadayif in Turkish comes from an Arabic origin (Qatayef) which means the plural of velvet (as in cloth) which is also similarly made from cut threads. The word qatayef/katayef in turn is used for a different dessert in Arabic cuisines.

 

[Timenspace]

the word kadayif in Turkish comes from an Arabic origin (Qatayef) which means the plural of velvet

How marvelous!

Never exactly knew this, although in older Bosnian literature, it is mentioned for a person to be enjoying or desiring to be in 'svili i kadifi '(to be clad in silk and velvet), and it uses this same Arabic root.

My Grandma prepared Kadaif in Bulgaria, it was delicious, the sweet sauce reminded me of the Baklava sauce. I always liked the look of Kadaif, little nests, very artistic.

Thank you.