![]() Serve with saffron rice! It’s easy to make and can be expanded for a crowd if need be. I’m going to repeat myself here because you might be wondering how these flavors work together: this is my FAVORITE Persian Koresht of all times. And in some ways this is better because you can you let your stew simmer away and get all saucy and delicious without worrying about re-crisping. It’s hard to keep it crisp when cooking in a juicy steamy stew, so if you don’t mind the hassle of re-crisping the skin then yay! Or if you like rubbery chicken skin then double yay! But the usual choice is bone-in, skinless chicken thighs. The skin-on was an experiment and it worked but required extra effort. In the pictures here I used bone-in, skin-on thighs. I prefer veggies to retain at least some of their taste, texture and shape.Ībout the chicken: you could use chicken breasts and that would be fine but chicken thighs are the best option because they have a higher fat content and thus more flavor which is a nice counter balance to the veggies and the acidity of the grapes & tomatoes. I know that this take on Koresht bamieh bademjan has my usual Californian perspective. I don’t like okra stewed for hours nor do I like over cooked eggplant. Also, chicken has a shorter cooking time and I think that’s important in this recipe. I have had it with beef and lamb before and it’s good too, but with the summery sidekicks of sour grapes, okra, eggplant and cherry tomatoes, chicken is the better choice. My Mom-In-Law, Shahla, who is the best Persian cook of all time, makes this dish with chicken and I prefer it this way. You can always add more – but you can’t take it away! In many Iranian dishes veggies and herbs are lightly fried with turmeric before the wet ingredients are added. And it does not taste good burnt (does anything? Okay, maybe toast, or is that a fad finally out of fashion?) so I recommend paying close attention when searing the onions and eggplants with the turmeric so it browns and doesn’t burn and measure the amount added to the sauce – one teaspoon is more than enough for a whole stew. It is extremely bitter in large quantities. ![]() Used correctly it adds an interesting musty peppery flavor and a bright and beautiful yellow color. I want to talk a little about turmeric (dried, not fresh) because used incorrectly it can ruin your dish. ![]() Turmeric, the beautiful yellow spice derived from the small orange tuber, is used a lot in Persian cooking. I am not a fan of the sour grapes that are brined and jarred but, in a pinch they’re okay, just make sure to rinse them well before using. Or you can pick them off your own vines in the Summer and freeze until ready to use! That’s why I grow grapes friends – nobody’s making wine here! Seedless green sweet varieties work best. You can buy sour grapes in Middle Eastern stores you’ll find them packaged in the refrigerator or freezer section. Sometimes the sour profile comes from sun-dried limes (like Ghormeh Sabzi, the famous khoresht made of beef hunks braised with herbs and sundried lime) but in this stew unripe grapes are used. Trust me!Īll Persian stews have a sour flavor profile which I love. And yes, you can leave it out, but I think it really adds to this dish. So if it’s a texture thing that scares you and not a flavor issue, fear not, I’ve got you covered. Also, I try to buy small and tender okras (is that the plural form of okra? – “okras” – sounds odd, no?!? Should it be okrai?!?).Īny slime (sorry, for lack of a better word – mucus perhaps?) that’s left in the okra makes its way into the tomato turmeric sauce and adds flavor and body. But, seared hard before simmering, there is no slime. Most people dislike okra for it’s texture as it can be a little slimy when cooked. ![]() Sort of in the same way that if I ate a hamburger everyday for a year I wouldn’t be able to stomach it again. And after eating it everyday, all day when I worked in Southern India I got to the point where I never wanted to EVER see it again. Add in chicken, beef or lamb and you have a hearty meal that is light but rich tasting.Ībout okra: it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I love the sour overtones from the unripe grapes (think verjus) and the meaty sweetness of the baby aubergine simmered in turmeric tomato broth with tender okra. Perhaps a bizarre fav because I simply can’t stand okra (for reasons I’ll explain below) but this dish, I could eat all day, every day. Hey don’t be all sour grapes about it! Seriously! Throw those sour grapes in your stew instead! This is my favorite Persian Khoresht: Eggplant and Okra Stew with Chicken. ![]()
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