150 Years Old Recipe: Hünkârbeğendi | Recipe of a Palace Dish with Its Story

lamb

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: beef

Chicken is leaner and more affordable than lamb.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and can be used in place of butter.

cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: none

Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor without dairy.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: soy milk

Almond milk is lower in calories and can replace dairy milk.

Charcoal the eggplants by making small holes in them to prevent popping during cooking.

Use a Turkish cosmetic enamelware with holes to cook the eggplants over heat.

If you don't have the enamelware, you can use an oven rack or cook directly on the heat while reducing the heat to avoid mess.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan or pressure cooker.

Add 300 g of meat (lamb or veal) to the pan, distributing it evenly without stirring to allow browning.

Once the meat is browned, add 1 medium onion, diced, to clean the pan and add flavor.

Add 4 cloves of thinly sliced garlic and stir gently to avoid browning the garlic.

Add 1 teaspoon of flour to thicken the sauce and stir until the pan becomes sticky.

Season with salt and add 2 medium tomatoes, diced, or substitute with tomato sauce or paste if necessary.

Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water, adjusting based on cooking method (more for stovetop).

Add spices: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon red pepper, and 1 teaspoon oregano.

Close the pressure cooker and cook at level 2 for 15 minutes after it reaches pressure, or simmer on the stove for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Check the eggplants for doneness by poking them; they should be soft all over.

Place the cooked eggplants in a covered dish to sweat and separate the skin from the flesh.

For the Béchamel sauce, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a thick-bottomed pan.

Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and cook on low heat until it browns slightly for a nutty flavor.

Gradually add 1 liter of milk while stirring to create a smooth sauce.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens