Eggplant-Walnut Dip (Kashke Bademjan)
A rich, savory, creamy Persian eggplant dip, streamlined for at-home, toss-it-together cooking.
- Makes3 1/2 cups
- Cook Time1 hour
- Active time plus cooling20 minutes active, plus cooling
Traditional Persian kashke bademjan is a rich, savory dip made from fried eggplant and onions, walnuts and kashke (fermented yogurt that has been cooked and strained). Our simplified but equally flavorful version uses the broiler to cook the vegetables and whole-milk yogurt for creaminess. We also added pomegranate molasses for its sweet-tart notes, a generous dose of fresh herbs and Aleppo pepper for its intriguing hint of heat. (If you cannot find Aleppo pepper, substitute a pinch of cayenne.) The consistency of the dip was best after being refrigerated for at least 12 hours, but its flavor was fullest at room temperature, so allow it to stand on the counter for about 1 hour before stirring in the herbs and adding the garnishes. Serve the dip with warmed pita bread or seeded crackers.
Don’t use eggplants that weigh more than 1 pound each;** they tend to have more seeds and can be bitter. Choose eggplants with taut, glossy skin and no bruises or brown spots.
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