Looking for an easy and delicious vegetarian dip? You've found the perfect recipe! Kashke Bademjan is a classic Persian dip made with fresh eggplants and it's perfect served on your hors d'oeuvres table next to fruit, small cookies, and other nibbles.
Why this Recipe Works
Cooked eggplant yields the perfect texture for a dip because it in a thick pulpy texture when blended.
If the texture of the dip doesn't come out perfectly the first time, you can easily adapt it to make it right - Add some water to thin it out and make it runnier, or blend with some walnuts to help thicken it up.
The onions are caramelized past the point of cooking to add a depth of flavor that pairs very well with a touch of mint and a spark of spice from the red pepper flakes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
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Eggplant - You can use either Chinese, Japanese, or Italian eggplants. In a pinch, you can use American eggplant, too.
Kashk - Kashk is a dairy product that's a kind of dried buttermilk that you can purchase in liquid or dried form. It may be tricky to find at your local grocery store, so head to your local Middle Eastern market or get it online. My preference is to use the wet, liquid form of kashk.
Onion - Use yellow or white onions in this recipe.
Mint - Dried mint is preferred in this recipe, with fresh mint as the garnish. However, mint is optional in this recipe.
Oil - Use a flavorless oil like canola, or vegetable.
How to Make this Recipe
Start by frying up one sliced medium onion. Heat your oil over medium heat, then add the sliced onion in and cook until it turns translucent in color. Then, continue cooking until they are golden brown. This will take 15-20 minutes.
In the last minute of cooking, add in the (optional) dried mint. Set this aside.
Peel 6 small Chinese eggplants, cut them into ½-inch cubes, and sear them in oil. Season with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Add more oil if your pan gets dry.
Once the eggplants are golden brown and tender, let them sit on some paper towels.
Mash the eggplant in a bowl with all but 2 tablespoons of the onion, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and kashk. Mix these ingredients together well.
Is your eggplant too firm? Process in a food processor, instead of mashing with a fork.
If the mixture is too wet, and in some water gradually. On the other hand, if the mixture is too runny you can food process it with some walnuts.
Top your Kashk Bademjan with the rest of the onion, and some fresh mint for serving.
FAQs
Chinese and Japanese eggplant are easily distinguishable from Italian eggplant because they are much longer and thinner in shape. Italian eggplant has more of a bell shape with the bottom of the eggplant being slightly thicker. This is likely the type that you are most used to seeing.
Kashk is a fermented dairy product similar to buttermilk also known as yogurt whey. It has a tangy and sour flavor similar to yogurt or sour cream. You can buy Kashk in a dried, crumbled form or as a wet paste with a yogurt-like consistency.
Kashk bademjan describes the dish's two main ingredients, "kashk" is "yogurt whey" and "bademjan" is "eggplant". These are the flavors that are featured most prominently in the dish and whose flavors really come through.
Both kashke bademjan and baba ganoush are eggplant dips. Kashke bademjan is made with onions, tomato, and mint, while baba ganoush is made with lemon, tahini, and garlic.
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Kashk e Bademjan
Ingredients
- 3 Chinese, Japanese, or Italian eggplants cubed into ½-inch cubes
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup oil flavorless, like canola or vegetable
- 1 tablespoon dried mint optional
- 2 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon Kashk up to 4, depending on your preference
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric optional
- ½ teaspoon red Pepper flakes optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Fry 1 sliced onion until translucent.
- In the last minute, add in the dried mint. Set the mix aside.
- Peel 6 small Chinese eggplants, cut them into 1-cm thick pieces and sear them in oil seasoning with salt, pepper, turmeric (optional).
- Once they are golden brown and tender let them sit on some paper towels.
- Mash them in a bowl with all but 2 tablespoons of the onion, red pepper flakes (optional) and all the tomato paste.
- Mix well. Add some water if mix is too thick. Food process with some walnuts if it's too runny.
- Mix in the kashk.
- Top with remaining onion, fresh mint for serving.
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