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Kashk-e bademjan is the starter Iranians order without thinking. Fried aubergine is mashed with onion, garlic and kashk, the tangy fermented whey that gives the dish its name, then topped with crisp onions, mint oil and walnuts.
Scooped up with warm bread, it is almost impossible to stop eating. It is also vegetarian.
At a glance: serves four as a starter. About an hour. Easy.
Ingredients
- 4 long aubergines, peeled and sliced
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ cup liquid kashk, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
- Vegetable oil, salt and black pepper
- Flatbread, to serve
Method
- Salt the aubergines for 20 minutes, pat dry and fry until golden and soft. Alternatively roast them at 200C until soft.
- Fry the onions until deep golden. Set half aside for the top.
- Add the garlic and turmeric to the remaining onions, then the aubergines and a splash of water. Mash as it cooks for ten minutes.
- Stir in the kashk and warm through without boiling. Season carefully, as kashk is salty.
- Warm the dried mint in a little hot oil for a few seconds. Top the dip with extra kashk, the reserved onions, walnuts and mint oil.
Do not boil the kashk. High heat makes it grainy.
No kashk? Thick Greek yoghurt mixed with a little feta is a passable stand-in.
Where to buy the ingredients. Outside Iran, you can order kashk, dried mint and turmeric online.
Serve warm with lavash or barbari. It is on the starter menu of almost every Persian restaurant, inside Iran and out.
