Persian Aubergine Stew with Black Lime

This Persian-inspired aubergine stew infuses velvety roasted aubergine chunks and earthy lentils with a fresh citrus kick from black limes.

Serve the aubergine stew with fluffy flatbreads – it’s guaranteed to lift your spirits on a gloomy day.

Or enjoy it at room temperature with toasted pita triangles and a zesty chopped salad on a sunny afternoon.

What are black limes?

Black limes are also called dried limes. And they are just that. Dried Limes. The limes are blanched, chilled and dried until dark in colour and light in weight, but loaded with flavour.

If you can’t find black limes at the store, you can absolutely make black limes at home. And if you really can’t wait another week before making this creamy eggplant stew, go ahead and substitute fresh lime juice and zest at the end of cooking. It still adds a lovely acidic kick even though it doesn’t have the same complex citrus flavour of dried limes.

That said, I do recommend putting in that extra effort to make your own black limes. At the very least add ‘Make Black Limes’ to your list of things to do next summer. They are so easy to make and bring pure citrus magic to the table!

Make your own black limes at home: How to make black limes

Vegetarian khoresh bademjan

Khoresh bademjan – the Persian aubergine stew (or eggplant stew) that inspired this dish – traditionally contains meat, often lamb or beef. But this meatless version is packed with Persian flavour. And the hearty stew hits all the comfort food spots.

Traditional khoresh bademjan calls for fried aubergine wedges. But this Middle Eastern aubergine stew recipe takes a healthier route with aubergine wedges charred in a hot oven.

The smoky roasted chunks of aubergine flesh get a slow braise in the black lime and tomato sauce over low heat. And the result is a flavourful vegan eggplant stew with an indulgent velvety texture.

I am sure you can also pull out the slow cooker for the second cook (let me know in the comments if you do!). Just don’t skip the aubergine oven roasting step. There are few things as unappetising as undercooked aubergine.

Ingredients & substitutes

• Aubergines (Eggplants): I use four medium-sized aubergines. You can use small or large aubergines as long as you have roughly 900 grams (2 pounds) of raw aubergine chunks after trimming and cutting the aubergines.
• Black limes: These magical spheres add a deep citrus flavour to the dish. But you can, instead, stir fresh lime juice into the aubergine stew at the end of the cook. And top the finished dish with lime or lemon zest for extra citrusy depth.
• Olive oil: The recipe calls for six tablespoons of oil. It may feel like a lot, but it gives the aubergine flesh a luscious texture. I use extra virgin olive oil.
• Onions: Normal onions, sliced very thinly, will do just fine. But you can always use red onion or shallots if that is what you have.
• Garlic: Four cloves of garlic may seem like lots of garlic, but this recipe creates a large batch of hearty stew with gentle savoury garlic notes.
• Spices: I use a combination of ground cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. These earthy spices are ubiquitous in Persian cuisine and bring warm comforting flavours to the stew, but you can substitute what you prefer.
• Tomato paste: I always have tomato paste in the house, but you can swap it for tomato puree if that is what you have. Or swap it for some rose harissa paste if you want to bring some heat.
• Tomatoes: Diced Roma tomatoes work well, so do tinned whole tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. Four Roma tomatoes are less than a tin of tomatoes, but go ahead and use a whole tin. This recipe does not require meticulous precision. You can also use sweet cherry tomatoes.
• Lentils: I add lentils for sustenance and their chewy texture. But if you want to serve this as a mezze or a side – or if you simply dislike lentils – feel free to leave them out. You can also add cooked chickpeas instead of lentils if that is what you have in your pantry.

A note on lentils in stew

Cook the dried lentils on their own. It allows more control over the final texture of the lentils since you only add the cooked lentils to the stew for the last few minutes.

It also means that the vegetarian khoresh bademjan retains its beautiful bright red hue – with a vibrant taste to match. And you get these distinct bites of earthy lentils. But if you are in no mood to wash another dirty pot, add the dried lentils directly to the stew.

Just note that the lentils may take longer to cook if you add them directly to the tomato sauce (instead of cooking them separately in water).

You can also add cooked, drained lentils from a tin. You do you!

Making aubergine stew ahead of time?

You can make the three main elements (tomato and black lime sauce, baked aubergines, and cooked lentils) a day ahead. Store each in a separate container in the fridge.

Then, continue with the recipe and cook the roasted aubergines in the sauce. It will still require an hour or so of simmering before serving. But, you can be super-organised with little washing up after dinner.

Alternatively, cook the aubergine stew according to the recipe. And store the finished stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Gently reheat it before serving.

Or freeze the aubergine stew in portions for an emergency midweek meal.

Don’t remove the dried limes before storing – let the globes hang around to release more of their citrusy flavour.

Leftover eggplant stew is magical with a fried egg and an extra sprinkle of ground black lime – think aubergine shakshuka.

Serving Suggestions

The stew is delicious as is, but you can make it your own with some toppings. It turns the simple stew into a lavish and exciting meal – visually and texturally.

Transfer your aubergine stew to a large serving bowl and top it with:

• yoghurt (choose a plant-based option to keep this meal vegan if you prefer), a dollop of crème fraîche, or feta cheese (or serve it alongside mast-o khiar instead),
• chopped soft herbs such as coriander, parsley or chives,
• toasted almond flakes or slivers, and
• pomegranate rubies.

Serve the aubergine stew alongside:

• fluffy flatbread (like these easy no-yeast yoghurt flatbreads) or toasted pita triangles, and
• mast-o khiar (Persian cucumber yoghurt side), or
• a zesty Arabic chopped salad.

Or, if you’re feeling virtuous, ladle the black-lime-infused stew onto cooked grains for a delicious and healthy vegan meal. I love the nuttiness of pearl barley, but long-grain rice, couscous or bulgur wheat are also perfect.