Eggplant
08/11/21 • 14 min
In Episode #45, co-hosts Beata and Bita talk about a single ingredient in Persian cuisine, eggplant. Eggplant is translated as “bademjoon” in Farsi. It is also sometimes referred to as “bademjan”.
Persian dishes with eggplant
- Smoky eggplant dips or spreads such as Kashk Bademjoon/bademjan (kashk is a yogurt derivative or whey with a salty umami flavor), Mirza Ghassemi, and Meleh Ghormeh (a regional specialty discussed in episode #31 with special guest Omid, The Caspian Chef)
- Khoresh (Persian stew) Khoresh Bademjoon/Bademjan (has beef or lamb traditionally and the tart unripe grapes called “ghoreh” in Farsi) and Ghemeh Bademjoon/Bademjan (with small cuts of meat); both served over rice
- Koo koo bademjoon/bademjan
Strategies for cooking eggplant for Persian dishes
- Oven baking or broiling - in pieces or whole (whole baking works well with smaller varieties of eggplant such as the Japanese eggplant)
- Sliced and sauteed
- Importance of cooking all the way through - eggplant texture should be very wrinkly and the eggplant should fall or drop which shows its been cooked through
Ask the Beats!
Alexandra from Menlo Park asks the Beats, “How did the two of you meet?”
The Beats love this question as they are very grateful to have made a connection and found partnership originally through Instagram. The Beats share the same name spelled differently (Beata vs Bita). They quickly discovered many shared passion, they were both foodies, interested in preserving Persian culture through food and realistic, modern strategies for incorporating it into everyday busy lifestyles - the Beats started the podcast at the start of the pandemic.
The Beats grew up in different backgrounds and with different exposures and experiences with Persian food and are currently at different life stages with children at very different ages and stages. This difference brings insight and unique perspectives to the topics of preparing Persian food.
Resources and recipes from this episode:
Bita’s recipe for: Kashk Bademjan | Persian Eggplant Dip
Beata’s recipe for: Persian Vegetarian Eggplant Stew | Khoreshteh Bademjan
Bita’s video Roasting Whole Eggplant
Modern Persian Food podcast Episode 31: Cultural Spotlight: Caspian Sea Regional Foods with Special Guest The Caspian Chef
All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: https://modernpersianfood.com/episodes/
Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: https://beatseats.com
Co-host Bita Arabian blog: https://ovenhug.com
Podcast production by Alvarez Audio
In Episode #45, co-hosts Beata and Bita talk about a single ingredient in Persian cuisine, eggplant. Eggplant is translated as “bademjoon” in Farsi. It is also sometimes referred to as “bademjan”.
Persian dishes with eggplant
- Smoky eggplant dips or spreads such as Kashk Bademjoon/bademjan (kashk is a yogurt derivative or whey with a salty umami flavor), Mirza Ghassemi, and Meleh Ghormeh (a regional specialty discussed in episode #31 with special guest Omid, The Caspian Chef)
- Khoresh (Persian stew) Khoresh Bademjoon/Bademjan (has beef or lamb traditionally and the tart unripe grapes called “ghoreh” in Farsi) and Ghemeh Bademjoon/Bademjan (with small cuts of meat); both served over rice
- Koo koo bademjoon/bademjan
Strategies for cooking eggplant for Persian dishes
- Oven baking or broiling - in pieces or whole (whole baking works well with smaller varieties of eggplant such as the Japanese eggplant)
- Sliced and sauteed
- Importance of cooking all the way through - eggplant texture should be very wrinkly and the eggplant should fall or drop which shows its been cooked through
Ask the Beats!
Alexandra from Menlo Park asks the Beats, “How did the two of you meet?”
The Beats love this question as they are very grateful to have made a connection and found partnership originally through Instagram. The Beats share the same name spelled differently (Beata vs Bita). They quickly discovered many shared passion, they were both foodies, interested in preserving Persian culture through food and realistic, modern strategies for incorporating it into everyday busy lifestyles - the Beats started the podcast at the start of the pandemic.
The Beats grew up in different backgrounds and with different exposures and experiences with Persian food and are currently at different life stages with children at very different ages and stages. This difference brings insight and unique perspectives to the topics of preparing Persian food.
Resources and recipes from this episode:
Bita’s recipe for: Kashk Bademjan | Persian Eggplant Dip
Beata’s recipe for: Persian Vegetarian Eggplant Stew | Khoreshteh Bademjan
Bita’s video Roasting Whole Eggplant
Modern Persian Food podcast Episode 31: Cultural Spotlight: Caspian Sea Regional Foods with Special Guest The Caspian Chef
All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: https://modernpersianfood.com/episodes/
Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: https://beatseats.com
Co-host Bita Arabian blog: https://ovenhug.com
Podcast production by Alvarez Audio
Previous Episode
Lentils
In Episode #44, co-hosts Bita and Beata resume full length episodes and cover nutritious lentils in Persian food. The word in Farsi for lentils is “adas”.
What are lentils? In the bean/legume category. Have an earthy, savory flavor
What are the two most common dishes in Persian cuisine containing lentils?
- Lentil soup, in Farsi “adasi” or “ash eh adas”
-
- A simple, rustic soup cooked with onions and a touch of turmeric and cinnamon (some folks add squash, pumpkin, or vegetables for a modern twist on Persian lentil soup)
- Mixed rice with Lentils, in Farsi “adas polo”
-
- Rustic, homey, nutritious, delicious layered rice dish - sauteed onions, turmeric, cinnamon, raisins and/or dates, some add nuts (see links to recipes for preparing adas polo)
Other Persian customs and recipes with lentils
- Persian noodle and bean soup, in Farsi “ash reshteh”
- Sprouts grown from lentils for the Persian new year spread or sofreh, in Farsi called “sabzeh”
Nutritional profile on lentils - a superfood
- Good source of protein
- Healthy dietary fiber
- Folic acid/folate
- Iron
Types of lentils
- Green and brown lentils have similar taste and attributes (hold their shape well) and can be used interchangeably
- Yellow, orange, and black lentils are not as common in Persian cuisine
Ask the Beats!
Mahyar from Canada asks the Beats,
“Can you use cinnamon in savory foods in Persian cuisine?”
Yes!
Cinnamon adds a warm, slightly sweet touch to Persian recipes. The Beats most commonly use cinnamon in the following Persian recipes: Adas polo, loobia polo, and haleem.
Resources and recipes from this episode:
Beata’s recipe for Ash Reshteh | Persian Noodle Soup
Beata’s long-form recipe for Asheh Reshteh – Persian Noodle Soup – Original Recipe Post
Beata’s recipe for Vegan Lentil Soup
Bita’s recipe for Persian Lentil and Date Rice | Adas Polo
Bita’s recipe for Aash Reshteh | Persian Noodle Soup
Bita’s recipe for Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash
Bita’s recipe for Vegan Moroccan Stew
All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: https://modernpersianfood.com/episodes/
Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: https://beatseats.com
Co-host Bita Arabian blog: https://ovenhug.com
Podcast production by Alvarez Audio
Next Episode
Persian Meal Planning
In Episode #46, co-hosts Bita and Beata provide strategies and tips to help with meal planning and prepping in anticipation of cooking during busy weeknights. Fall means back to school for many, back to work for some, and back to routines and getting more organized for most. Traditionally, cooking Persian food is a time and labor-intensive process taking hours and sometimes days. With today’s modern life-styles, we need to be able to put a well-balanced, healthy meal on the table in an hour or less.
Planning tools
- A weekly meal planner or calendar
- Daily notes
- Grocery list
Batch cooking - cooking a larger portion of a food category with the intent to use it in multiples ways and meals, spanning across a few days and up to a week
- Batch cooking meats
- Roasting vegetables
- Cleaning and trimming fresh herbs
Batch cooking around a well-balanced meal
- Lean proteins
- Ancient grains (in Persian cuisine it’s mainly rice!)
- Fruits and vegetables
Batch cooking with Persian recipes in mind
- Boiling eggs for Persian potato salad | Salad Olivier
- Cooking chicken
- Chopping vegetables
- Making koo koo
- Cooking eggplant
- Persian stews and khoresh
- Soups such as lentil soup, ab ghosht, ash reshteh
Ask the Beats!
The Beats ask each other, what is your biggest challenge around cooking Persian food on a busy week night?
- Finding the time
- Having all of the components of the meal ready at the same time and serving them still warm
- Chopping vegetables
Beats Cheats!
What are some additional shortcuts for putting together a Persian meal on a busy night?
- Using canned beans
- Buying pre-cooked beets
- Ordering Persian food take out for part of the meal, for example order kabab and make the rice
Resources and recipes from this episode:
All Modern Persian Food episodes can be found at: https://modernpersianfood.com/episodes/
Co-host Beata Nazem Kelley blog: https://beatseats.com
Co-host Bita Arabian blog: https://ovenhug.com
Link to episode with “Ask the Beats” about meal planning. Episode 33: Persian Cucumbers
Link to Episode 30: Tahchin
Persian Meal Planning Tips blog post
How to Make Boiled Eggs in an Instant Pot
Video for Roasting Whole Eggplant
Bita’s recipe for Koo Koo Sabzi
Beata’s recipe for Persian Frittata Koo Koo Sabzi
Bita’s recipe for Salad Olivier
Bita’s recipe for Tah Cheen
Bita’s recipe for Tahchin Bites
Beata’s recipe for Persian Jeweled Tahchin
Podcast Production by Alvarez Audio
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