There are a handful of Persian dishes I've had the chutzpah to attempt. I could explain this by telling you that my mother is reknown in our family and social circles as the best chef. Nothing, and I mean nothing I have ever attempted reaches that pinnacle that is my mother's cooking.
So, I stick with what I love. I stick with those dishes I've made dozens of times and have pretty much gotten down pat. But attempting new dishes takes elaborate planning, willing guinea pigs, and my own deep-seated hunger for that particular meal.
Well, last night, it was Khoresht Bademjan - a rich, deeply fragrant, heady eggplant stew served over rice* - and one of my favorite dishes as a child.
With Oliver & C offering to be my guinea pigs, I started the email barrage to my mother. The exchange goes something like this:
-----Original Message-----
From: Fatemeh
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 4:20 PM
To: Mom
Subject: khoresht bademjan
Hi -I bought pre-fried bademjan from the Persian market... is an hour enough
time to make this from start to finish? I just have to make piaz-daagh
first, then brown the meat with some turmeric, then let it all simmer
together with tomatoes and tomato paste, right?? Then I can add the
eggplants just before serving to warm them through? Is that right?Thank you!!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Mom
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 4:32 PM
To: Fatemeh
Subject: RE: khoresht bademjan
Let them simmer for 15 to 20 minutes so that our khoresht take the taste of
them and bademjan take the taste of the meat and the other thing. Don't
forget to add zafaran at the same time.
If I were you, I would make it with chicken. Also, if you have roobe anar,
add a little to it to, not so much otherwise it looks brown/black.
-----Original Message----- From: Fatemeh Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 4:40 PM To: Mom Subject: RE: khoresht bademjan
Chicken? Really? All I have is chicken breast... I have a lb of meat in the
freezer that I want to use up. Why chicken instead of beef? How long will it
take once I add the tomato to the beef or chicken?THANK YOU!!!!
-----Original Message----- From: Mom Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 4:48 PM To: Fatemeh Subject: RE: khoresht bademjanChicken breast really cooks fast as you know, you can actually make the
piyaz-daagh and add the chicken breast and on medium/hot hit and covered
pan, suttee and almost cook it, then add a can of chopped tomato and lemon
juice and let it simmer for another maybe 2o to half an hour and then add
the bademjan, 3 to 3 spoon of roob anar and zafaran, simmer for max 10 to 15
minutes, make sure you have enough juice to sort of cover them and you
dinner is ready. When I go to Bahman's, I usually takes me around an hour to
make it.
So with this in my pocket, off I went. (I did end up using the beef, after all).
It turned out beautifully - next time, I'll add a bit of ab-ghooreh (verjus, to non-persians) for some punch. And I'd like to try to make it with okra, too.
*Now, if I could only get my rice to cook properly...