A deeply flavoured Persian aubergine dip: smoky roasted aubergines blended with tangy kashk, topped with caramelised onion, walnut, and fragrant mint butter — served with fresh flatbread.
Kashk-e bademjan (کشک بادمجان) is one of the most distinctive and beloved dishes of Persian cuisine — an aubergine preparation that elevates a humble vegetable to extraordinary heights through the power of contrasting flavours and textures. Aubergines are either flame-charred over a gas burner or roasted whole in a hot oven until they collapse and their interior turns silky-smoky. The flesh is then mixed with sauteed onion, garlic, walnuts, dried mint, and turmeric, and the whole mixture is enriched with kashk — the fermented whey that is a cornerstone of Persian cooking, adding a profound sour creaminess that is uniquely Iranian. The dish is finished with three garnishes applied separately: more kashk swirled in curls, caramelised onion fried golden with turmeric, and sizzled dried mint in butter. These garnishes are not merely decorative — they provide contrasting pockets of crispy, sour, and aromatic flavour in every bite. Served as a starter or meze with warm sangak or barbari bread, kashk-e bademjan is the dish many Iranian-food newcomers find most revelatory.
Serves 4
Place whole aubergines directly over a gas flame or under a very hot grill, turning with tongs every few minutes, until completely charred on the outside and collapsed and soft inside — about 15–20 minutes. Cool, then peel off the blackened skin, letting any liquid drain away. The smokiness is essential.
If you don't have a gas burner, pierce aubergines and roast whole at 240°C for 45–50 minutes until fully collapsed and caramelised.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 20 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden and sweet. Add garlic, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and walnuts. Fry for 3 more minutes.
Add the drained, chopped aubergine flesh to the pan. Stir well to combine with the onion mixture. Add 1 tbsp dried mint, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, mashing and stirring, until the mixture is fairly homogeneous but still has some texture.
Stir half the kashk into the aubergine mixture and cook for 5 more minutes. The kashk will thicken the mixture and add a rich sourness. Taste for seasoning.
For the crispy onion topping: fry the remaining onion (set aside a small portion) separately in 1 tbsp oil with remaining turmeric until deep golden. For the mint butter: melt butter in a tiny pan, add remaining 1 tbsp dried mint, remove from heat.
Spread the aubergine mixture on a shallow plate. Swirl remaining kashk on top. Scatter crispy onions over. Drizzle with mint butter and scatter a few walnut pieces. Serve warm with flatbread.
The char is the soul of the dish — don't skip the flame or high-heat roasting step and use oven-steamed aubergine, which lacks the smoky depth.
Let the aubergines drain in a colander after peeling — they release a lot of bitter, dark liquid that should be discarded.
Kashk added to a very hot pan can curdle — lower the heat before adding, and stir constantly.
With meat: fry 200g ground beef with the onion in step 2 for a heartier version served as a light main.
Mirzaghasemi: the Gilani variation adds tomato and egg to the charred aubergine and omits the kashk for a completely different but equally delicious dish.
Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a pan. Make toppings fresh each time — the crispy onions and mint butter do not store well.
Kashk-e bademjan is rooted in the Persian culinary tradition of pairing charred or slow-cooked vegetables with kashk, a technique documented in Persian cookbooks from at least the Qajar period (18th–19th century). The dish draws on Persian cuisine's sophisticated use of fermented dairy (kashk, yogurt, doogh) as flavour counterpoints to rich, savoury elements — a balance that has characterised Iranian cooking for millennia.
Thick Greek yogurt thinned with a squeeze of lemon juice is the most practical substitute. Sour cream also works. Neither fully replicates the tangy depth of real kashk, but the dish is still excellent. Kashk is sold at Persian and some Middle Eastern supermarkets.
It's delicious at any temperature. Warm is traditional and most flavoursome. At room temperature it works as a dip. Cold from the fridge is the least interesting option — bring it to room temperature and add fresh toppings before serving.
Place whole aubergines directly on the oven shelf at 250°C (maximum) rather than on a tray, which produces more caramelisation on the outside and a slightly smoky quality. Alternatively, add 1/4 tsp smoked paprika to the mixture to approximate the flavour.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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