Sultan's Delight (Hunkar Begendi)

Name: Sultan's Delight
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 pound of stew meat; 1 chopped onion; 4 cloves of minced garlic; 1 chopped tomato; 2 tablespoons of tomato paste; 4 eggplant; 3 tablespoons of olive oil; 1 tablespoon of butter; 2 tablespoons of flour; 1 1/2 cup of milk; 2 cups of hot water; 100 grams of shredded kashari cheese; 2 teaspoons of salt; 1 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Sultan's Delight (Hünkar Begendi), one of the most famous Ottoman Palace delicacies! It is the recipe of the palace chef that combines roasted eggplant and béchamel sauce.

Turkish Cuisine

May 27, 2022

Difficulty Medium

Servings 4-6 people

Preparation 30 mins

Cooking 60 mins

Total 90 mins

Recipe Contents

Recipe Video Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Sultan's Delight Recipe Video

Ingredients

1 pound of stew meat
1 chopped onion
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 chopped tomato
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
4 eggplant
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cup of milk
2 cups of hot water
100 grams of shredded kashari cheese
2 teaspoons of salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Directions

Roast the eggplants on the grill, on the stove or in the oven. To roast the eggplants, make holes with a knife and cook them on the stove. Peel the skin of the roasted eggplants and leave them to cool.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Add the diced lamb meat to the pot and cook until the meat releases its juices.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and water to the pan. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Cook the ingredients for about 30 minutes until the meat is tender.
In a separate pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of butter, and 1 ½ cups of flour to prepare the bedding. Fry until the smell of flour is gone.
Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook until it thickens. Add the roasted eggplants to it. Mash the eggplants well and cook the béchamel sauce by boiling them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Then add the cheddar cheese and stir so that the cheese melts well. Remove the sauce from the stove.
Place the eggplant on the serving plate. Top it with the meat. Pour the broth over it and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Sultan's Delight

Serves 4-6

Amount Per Serving

Calories487

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 23.3 g29.9%

Cholesterol 72 mg24%

Sodium 1638 mg71.2%

Protein 26.5 g53%

Potassium 1206 mg25.7%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

Bell eggplant is ideal for this recipe. You can also use other types of eggplant if you wish.
Make sure the eggplants are not pitted. Take out any seeds.
Roast eggplants on a gas stove or barbecue to add a smoky flavor. Fry the eggplants on fire until their skins turn charred and black.
If you do not have a gas stove, you can also roast the eggplants in the oven. You can use beef, chicken or ground beef instead of lamb.
Cook the meat until it is browned.
Use tulum cheese or kashar cheese. If you can't find it, you can use any kind of cheese made from cow's or goat's milk.

Rate This Recipe

Sultan's Delight or Hünkar Begendi is an Ottoman dish prepared with roasted eggplant, lamb, and bechamel sauce. It is served by putting cubed meat on the eggplant puree. Although lamb is used in the traditional recipe, there are also versions made with chicken or meatballs. One of the most special dishes of the table and a favorite of the Sultan.

Try this special dish of palace cuisine at home. Enjoy this unique dish with your family. Serve Hünkar Begendi with other flavors of Turkish cuisine.

Equipment for this recipe

Measuring Cup

Dutch Oven

Chef Pan

Cutting Board

Kettle

Wooden Spoon

Chef Knife

What is Hünkar Begendi?

Sultan’s Delight (Hünkar Begendi) is a dish of Ottoman cuisine. Roasted eggplant and lamb are the main ingredients of this dish. The eggplant is roasted and mashed. It is then pureed. Eggplant spread on the plate. Cubed meat is placed on it and served.

What is the Difference Between Hünkar Begendi and Ali Nazik?

Hünkar Begendi is made by adding cubed meat to bechamel sauce and roasted eggplant. Ali Nazik, on the other hand, is made by putting diced meat or minced meat on roasted eggplant with yogurt.

How To Roast Eggplant in the Oven?

To roast the eggplant in the oven:

Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
Prick the eggplant in several places with a knife. Put it on the baking tray. Cook them for about 40 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
After cooking, put the eggplant in a bowl. Wrap it with cling film and let it cool for 15 minutes.
Then peel the skins off.
If you wish, cut the eggplant in half with the help of a knife without waiting for it to cool. Remove the fleshy part with the help of a spoon.