PERSIAN COOKING - KASHKE BADEMJAN RECIPE! VEGETARIAN EGGPLANT DIP

KASHKE BADEMJAN (pronounced Cash-kay Bad-em-jan) is a traditional Persian eggplant dip that accompanies meals and is always a favorite amongst my guest. Bademjan literally translates into eggplant in Farsi while Kashka refers to a type of middle eastern dairy. Usually served a little warm or room temperature, this Persian eggplant dip or side dish should always be accompanied by toasted pita or flatbread wedges. I recently made kashke bademjan for a dinner party I had at my sister’s house in Los Angeles and as you can guess, it was a total crowd pleaser. If you are a Vegetarian, love Persian food, or are just a big fan of eggplants then I highly recommend you try this kashke bademjan recipe!

KASHEK BADEMJAN can also easily be made GLUTEN FREE if you serve it on a gluten free pita equivalent or vegan if you do not add the yogurt.

For my dinner party, I made a serving of this for about 6 people. This recipe yields enough for each person to have a really nice size dollop! 

PS Don’t forget to watch the video at the bottom if you need extra help!

INGREDIENTS:

6 Chinese Eggplants or Italian Eggplant - cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips (if you can’t find Italian or Chinese eggplant you can use regular eggplant too)
1 Cup of Vegetable Oil - divided in 4TBSP portions
4-5 cloves of Garlic minced
1.5 Large White or Sweet Onion chopped
2/3 Cup of Water
1 TSP Salt
1 TSP Pepper
1/2 TSP Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Cup of Walnuts - chopped (I bought them already chopped at the store to avoid needing a food processor)
1 TBSP dried Mint leaves
1 Cup of Plain Greek Yogurt (optional)
Pita Bread


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DIRECTIONS:

Start off by adding about 4 TBSP of oil to your skillet. Heat up the oil at medium heat and then add a single layer of eggplant. Cover and let cook for about 6 minutes. Keep an eye on the eggplant so that they don't burn. Once they are browned flip to the other side and let cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until they are brown as well. Remove cooked eggplant from skillet and onto a side dish. REPEAT until this step until all the eggplant is fried.

In the meantime get another skillet and add about 3 TBSP of oil to it. Let it heat up at medium heat for a minute and once the oil is hot add the chopped onions. Let the onion cook it they become a nice golden (caramelized) colour. This may take several minutes but stir often so they do not burn.

Once all the eggplant is finished and removed from the first skillet add the spices and the garlic to the skillet. Let the garlic cook for a minute making sure to stir it around and coat the bottom of the skillet. Also make sure that the temperature is still on medium so you do not burn the garlic. After a minute add back in the eggplant and mix together. Once mixed add in the water and cover. Let this simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the eggplant becomes soft and the water evaporates. You may notice that there is a lot of oil that has seeped out the of eggplant, you can drain a spoonful or two out.

In the other skillet the onions should start to look nice and golden. Once the onion is ready remove it from the heat and add in the dried mint. Make sure to crush the dried mint with your hands as you add it in to release/activate the mint smell. Mix in the mint with the onions. *I would remove 2-3 TBSP of this to use as a garnish later.

If you didn’t buy walnuts already chopped, add you walnuts to your food processor and chop them till they are fine but still crunchy (do not over do it otherwise they will become a paste or nut butter)

When the eggplant is nice and tender remove it from the heat and add in the onion, mint and walnuts and stir. 

If you are Vegan you are finished.

If you want to continue with the dairy stir in the Greek yogurt until it is fully blended.

Transfer the mashed eggplant to a serving bowl, add the onion garnish you set aside earlier and serve at room temperature with toasted pita or flat bread.


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Thanks for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed this Kashke Bademjan recipe as much as I do. If you have any questions or comments about this persian eggplant dip recipe, please feel free to leave them in the comments below and I will try and answer them as soon as I can!


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MOM'S OVEN ROASTED ROSEMARY GARLIC RACK OF LAMB

oven roasted rack of lamb!

An oven roasted rack of lamb recipe!

One thing I love about coming home is eating my mom’s cooking! This week, my mom taught me some of her specialties including her coveted oven-roasted rosemary garlic rack of lamb! Best served alongside her Aglio e olio pasta, this dish is on repeat weekly in our household. If you are looking for a super easy recipe to make this weekend that you can prepare ahead of time, you have to try this oven roasted rack of lamb! It is soooo good and always a crowd pleaser!

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

INGREDIENTS:

COOKING TIME: 25 Minutes

Serves 4

Rack of Lamb (8-9 ribs) - trimmed
1/4 CUP of Olive Oil
2 TBSP of Fresh Rosemary
2 TSP of Fresh Thyme Leaves
8 Garlic Cloves
Zest of 1 Lemon
Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper


Kitchen Tools:
Food Processor
Baking Sheet
Meat Thermometer


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HOW TO COOK RACK OF LAMB:

In a food processor, add in your olive oil, rosemary, thyme and lemons zest, pulse until finely chopped.

Salt and Pepper rack of lamb on both sides before covering in marinade and setting aside for 1 hour at room temperature on a baking sheet.

When ready, set oven to 450 and cook lamb for 15 minutes before rotating the baking sheet and continuing to cook for 10 minutes to ensure it cooks evenly and to medium rare. If you have a meat thermometer, for medium rare lamb the internal temperature should be at 130-140 degrees.

When meat is ready, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before chopping it up into individual portions. This will allow the juice to redistribute.

Plate and serve.

Enjoy!

oven roasted rack of lamb

Oven roasted rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic



I hope you enjoyed this oven roasted rack of lamb recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!


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PIRI PIRI CHICKEN WITH ROASTED VEGGIES - A PORTUGESE CHICKEN RECIPE

If you’re looking for something healthy and easy to make for dinner tonight that will transport you to the beautiful country of Portugal, may I suggest trying this easy Piri Piri chicken with roasted veggies? Best marinated a day in advance, this Portuguese chicken recipe doesn’t take long to make and always comes out super juicy. I love how the vegetable roast alongside the Piri Piri chicken in the excess fat to perfection until their exterior is crunchy and their insides are soft. Since Piri Piri sauce can be a little spicy and very juicy make sure to pair the chicken and veggies with a simple side like a helping of rice for a well-rounded authentic Portuguese chicken dinner.

Want to try making your own Piri Piri Mix at home? Check out Chef Mireille’s Piri Piri Spice Blend Recipe!

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2 people

- Piri Piri Chicken Glaze -
4 TBSP of Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves - pressed
2 TBSP of Piri Piri Spice Mix - For premade I like the clubhouse Piri Piri spice mix or the Farm Boy Mix however you can also check out Chef Mireille’s Piri Piri Spice Blend Recipe and make it at home!
2 TBSP of Lemon Juice
1 TSP of Lime Zest
Salt and Pepper
Whole Chicken - butterflied (mine was about 3.5 lbs) or you can use chicken thighs or quarters

- Roasted Veggies -
2-3 Yukon Potatoes - washed and cut in large pieces. I like to put my cut potato pieces in water while I prep all my ingredients so they don’t oxidize and turn colour. Drain water before use.
2 TBSP of Olive Oil
2 TSP of Piri Piri Spice Mix
Salt and Pepper
1 Large Carrot - chopped roughly
2-3 Shallots - chopped roughly
3 Lemon Slices or Wedges

- Garnish -
Parsley

- Fun Tools -
Meat thermometer


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DIRECTIONS:

The first thing to do is marinate the chicken, preferably for a minimum of 4 hours or better yet overnight. In order to do so you must create the glaze.

Heat up the olive oil for your chicken glaze in a sauce pan and add in pressed garlic. Once they become fragrant (about 2 minutes) add in your Piri Piri spice mix, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Stir and set aside to cool.

Wash and dry your chicken before coating it with the glaze. Make sure to coat both sides of the chicken well before covering with plastic wrap and storing in the fridge. Alternatively, you can also do this in a zip lock bag if you can find one big enough.

When you are ready to start cooking, preheat oven to 375F on convection roast (if you don’t have the setting, roast or bake is fine) and remove your chicken from the fridge. Place chicken and all the glaze in the middle of a sheet or roasting pan.

Next, toss your potatoes in olive oil, Piri Piri mix, and salt and pepper until evenly coated. Place potatoes in the sheet pan surrounding the chicken along with roughly chopped carrots and shallots. Garnish with lemon slices before roasting in the oven for 45-55 minutes on the middle rack or until tender.

If you have a meat thermometer the minimum for chicken is 165. You can use it to check if the chicken is done or you can check manually by cutting into it to see if it’s pink inside. If the chicken is done and the potatoes are not, feel free to take the chicken out of the sheet pan and cover it with aluminum foil to keep warm before placing the veggies back in the oven until they become tender.

When potatoes are ready, add chicken back in and serve!

Enjoy!


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I hope you enjoyed this Piri Piri Chicken Portugues chicken recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!


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MOROCCAN BROCCOLI SALAD - GLUTEN FREE, KETO & VEGAN

Packed full of antioxidants, this delicious Moroccan raw broccoli salad is both beautiful to look at and packed full of nutrients. If you, like me, are looking for ways to eat healthier without compromising on taste, this gluten free, vegan, keto broccoli salad is perfect. Since it can be prepared a day in advance and keeps well in the fridge, it also is great for meal planning or a grab-and-go snack. Not to mention it takes only a few minutes to make!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4

- Dressing -
6 TBSP of Grape Seed Oil
1 TSP of Ras-El-Hanout Spice
1 Garlic Clove (pressed or chopped finely)
2 TBSP of Fresh Lemon Juice
2 TBSP of Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBSP of Honey (can be substituted with Agave if you are vegan)
Salt and Pepper to taste

- Salad -
6 CUPS of Broccoli Florets
1 Shallot (chopped Finely)
1 Jalapeno (chopped finely)
1/3 CUP of Dates (pits removed and chopped finely) - reduce the amount or leave out if you want more of a keto broccoli salad)
1/4 Cup of Roasted Pistachios (chopped finely)
Salt and Pepper to taste

- Optional Garnish-
1/4 CUP of Pomegranate Seeds
5-6 Slices of Pickled Beets (use sugar-free pickled beets if you want more of a keto broccoli salad)


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DIRECTIONS:

Remove sauce pan from heat and add in lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and honey (or agave). Salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool.

Next, add your broccoli, shallots, dates, jalapenos and pistachios to a large salad bowl. Dress with your ras-el-hanout dressing, toss and garnish with pomegranates and slices of picked beats. Salt and pepper once again to taste.

Cover and chill if prepared in advance otherwise enjoy!


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I hope you enjoyed this gluten free, vegan, keto broccoli salad recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!


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MEDITERRANEAN VEGAN BEAN SALAD!

As someone who is always looking for ways to make ‘honouring my body’ easier, following a balanced diet such as the traditional Mediterranean diet makes doing so not only satisfying but undeniably more delicious! If you are looking for ways to add more protein to your diet without always gorging on meat, mix bean salad make a great substitute. Packed full of protein and carbs, this Mediterranean vegan bean salad will give you a boost of energy to help sustain you throughout the day. It has more nutritional value than a regular leafy green salad and keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge, making it perfect for meal planning. It’s also very inexpensive to make and can be whipped up in less then 10 minutes! Regardless of your motivation, I know you’ll not only love the flavour, but feel good about eating it too!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4-5

1 Shallot (finely chopped)
3TBSP of White Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup of Parsley (roughly chopped)
1/4 Cup of Chives (roughly chopped)
1/4 Cup of Mint (roughly Chopped
Olive Oil
2 x 15 oz Mix Bean Medley
Salt and Pepper


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DIRECTIONS:

Add white wine vinegar to shallots and set aside for 5 minutes.

Next get a large bowl and add in your chopped parsley, chives and mint. Coat in olive oil. Add bean medley. Salt (generously) and pepper to taste.

Lastly add in your white wine vinegar shallots, toss and serve!


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I hope you enjoy this vegan bean salad recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!


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