Shared by Nilou and Chantal Ghalchi
Shared by Nilou and Chantal Ghalchi
Joojeh Bademjan (Persian Chicken and Eggplant Stew with Sour Grapes)
Yield: 6 servings
Joojeh Bademjan (Persian Chicken and Eggplant Stew with Sour Grapes)
Yield: 6 servingsFamily Journey
TehranLos AngelesPort Washington, NY
Great Neck, NYBrooklyn
“We like everything sour, so I add a lot,” says Nilou Ghalchi, scooping frozen sour grapes known as gooreh in Farsi from the freezer. She keeps them on hand to make joojeh bademjan, a tender, silky chicken and eggplant stew, of which they’re a key component. Nilou uses slender Japanese eggplants to make joojeh bademjan; they’re softer, cook faster, and lack the bitterness present in other eggplant varieties. If you can’t find gooreh at a Middle Eastern grocery store, simply substitute the juice of two fresh lemons. Serve this dish with rice or tahdig.
Read more about Nilou Ghalchi’s family story in "Rebuilding a Lost Persian World in a Sun-Filled Long Island Kitchen" and get her recipes for karafs khoresht (Persian beef, celery and herb stew) and sour cherry vodka.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons neutral oil
- 5 whole, peeled Japanese eggplants
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into large chunks
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 4-5 skinless chicken legs
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 4 roma tomatoes, sliced into ½” rounds
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes
- 3 oz. tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ cups frozen sour grapes
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add eggplants to the skillet and fry, around 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown.
Step 2
Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan, cooking for another 10 minutes until the eggplants are tender and cooked through. Remove from heat and keep covered for another 10 minutes.
Step 3
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a 3 ½-4 quart braising pan. Add the chunks of onion and saute for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, around 1 minute.
Step 4
Add the chicken legs to the skillet and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Saute until lightly browned, 3 minutes. Flip to the other side and sprinkle with another ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the skillet and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Uncover and turn the heat up to medium. Add the eggplants to the skillet, laying them on top of the chicken. Top with the tomato slices and cherry tomatoes. Season with the remaining teaspoon of salt.
Step 6
Top with the tomato paste and the cayenne pepper. Cover and cook on medium for around 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are soupy and the chicken is tender. Uncover and add the sour grapes. Cover and cook for another 40-45 minutes, until the chicken is fall-off the bone tender. Serve hot with rice.
