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Shish Andaz Bademjan – Vegan Eggplants in Walnut Pomegranate Sauce

Shish Andaz Bademjan – Vegan Eggplants in Walnut Pomegranate Sauce

A deeply aromatic, sweet-and-sour, naturally plant-based eggplant stew

Keyword Shish Andaz Bademjan – Vegan Eggplants in Walnut Pomegranate Sauce
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings 4 people
Author Labsalliebe

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS FOR SHESH ANDAZ GILANI

  • 5 medium eggplants preferably long, slender varieties
  • 3 onions
  • Cooking oil for frying
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 300 g 3 cups walnuts, finely ground
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses or sour pomegranate paste
  • 1 tsp golpar ground Persian angelica seed
  • 2-3 cups ice-cold water
  • 3-4 ice cubes
  • 1 tsp cinnamon ground
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION

PREPARE THE EGGPLANTS

  1. Peel the eggplants. Depending on your preference, cut them into rounds, cubes, or strips. (I prefer to leave them whole for this dish.)

  2. Lightly salt the eggplants, place them in a colander, and let them rest for 1 to 2 hours. This removes any potential bitterness and prevents the eggplants from absorbing too much oil during frying.

SAUTÉ THE AROMATIC BASE

  1. Finely chop or grate the onions using a food processor or box grater.

  2. Place them into a pot over medium heat without oil first, letting their natural moisture evaporate.

  3. Once dry, add a splash of oil and sauté until golden brown.

  4. Stir in the turmeric and toast for a minute until fragrant.

  5. Press in the garlic clove and sauté briefly.

TOAST THE WALNUTS AND SPICES

  1. Add the finely ground walnuts to the pot. Toast them gently over medium heat until they release a rich, nutty aroma.

  2. Stir in the tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, and ground golpar.

SLOW-SIMMER THE SAUCE

  1. Pour 2 to 3 cups of ice-cold water along with the ice cubes into the pot. Turn the heat down to low. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours until it thickens and turns a dark, glossy brown.

  2. Add an ice cube every hour to encourage the walnuts to release their natural oils.

  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste as it cooks.

FRY THE EGGPLANTS AND COMBINE

  1. Rinse the salted eggplants thoroughly under cold water to remove the excess salt.

  2. Pat them dry with paper towels.

  3. Heat a little oil in a skillet and fry the eggplants until golden brown on all sides.

  4. Gently lower the fried eggplants into the simmering walnut sauce.

  5. Cover and let everything simmer together on low heat for another 30 minutes. This allows the eggplants to soak up the rich flavors and thickens the sauce to perfection.

  6. Right before serving, give it a final taste and adjust with cinnamon, salt, pepper, or a pinch more golpar if desired.

PLATING AND SERVING

  1. Ladle the finished Shish Andaz Bademjan into a deep serving bowl.

  2. Garnish with whole walnut halves or vibrant fresh pomegranate seeds.

  3. Serve this Northern Iranian classic piping hot alongside steamed saffron rice (Kateh) or fresh flatbread (Lavash).

  4. For the full Gilani experience, pair it with crunchy raw onion wedges, a platter of fresh herbs (Sabzi Khordan), and traditional pickled vegetables (Torshi).