Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight)

Hünkar Beğendi (or Sultan's Delight) is an authentic Turkish lamb and eggplant recipe dating back a few hundred years.

This delightful dish is made of succulent lamb stew served on smokey&cheesy aubergine purée.

The meaning of Hunkar begendi is "Sultan liked it" and that's precisely what happened when the palace cook created and served this amazing dish to Sultan Murad IV. It's no surprise he did.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• Aubergines (a.k.a Eggplants) in Turkish Cuisine
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight)

Hunkar Begendi is a very easy dish to put together yet has a luxurious feeling to it when you put the first bite in your mouth.

It is a great dish for dinner parties to impress your guests.

I've cooked this recipe many times over the years and it never disappointed me.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Hunkar Begendi (or Sultan's Delight) is a very easy recipe to follow with step-by-step instructions and pictures.

• This authentic aubergine and lamb dish is perfect to impress your guests at dinner parties.

• It's a versatile dish. You can replace the lamb with beef or chicken, and they all work great with the smokey aubergine base.

• The leftovers freeze beautifully! Let them cool down entirely, place them in an airtight container, and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Aubergines (a.k.a Eggplants) in Turkish Cuisine

Aubergine is a popular ingredient in Turkish cooking as it is widely available.

It pairs perfectly with lamb and there are many recipes made with lamb and aubergines together such as Greek Moussaka (Musaka) and Patlican Kebabi - Eggplant Kebab.

Aubergines are so versatile, you can pickle them or make jam with them.

You can turn them into dips (Baba Ganoush Without Tahini), or stuff them (Karniyarik - Mince Stuffed Aubergine).

We Turks are obsessed with this purple fruit as much as we are obsessed with Borek.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Ingredients for Lamb Stew

What Cut of Lamb to Buy?

Well-exercised muscles rich in collagen such as the shank, shin, or shoulder are the typical cuts of meat for slow cooking.

I use lamb shoulder for this recipe as well as most of my other lamb recipes such as Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu and Sac Kavurma (Turkish Lamb Sauté).

However, you can use any other part of the lamb as long as they are marbled with some fat.

The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the lamb pieces and the cut of the meat.

Check your lamb stew regularly after 1 hour of cooking time, and continue cooking until they are fork tender.

Other ingredients you need for the lamb stew are:

• Onions - They are a must when making a stew. I love the umami flavor and sweetness they add to the dish. White, brown, or yellow onions work best with this recipe.

• Chicken stock - The best option is to use homemade chicken stock. You can substitute it with vegetable stock or water. You can also use stock cubes if you don't have any stock in hand. Make sure you don't add too much salt as ready-made stocks and stock cubes contain salt already.

• Peppers - You can use Turkish green peppers, Spanish Padron peppers, or bell peppers for this recipe.

• Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.

• Cumin - It complements the lamb dishes perfectly. Adjust the amount to your taste or omit it if you don't like its taste.

Ingredients for Eggplant Purée

• Aubergines / Eggplants - Pick slightly firm but not hard aubergines when buying them. Discard the seeds after cooking if there are any.

• Butter - Use good quality butter for the béchamel sauce which is the base for aubergine purée.

• Cheese - You can use kashar cheese, cheddar cheese, or gruyere for this recipe.

• Nutmeg - It adds a sweet and soft aroma to the sauce. It goes perfectly with béchamel or any other dairy-based sauce.

Step-by-Step Instructions

It is very easy to make this traditional Turkish lamb and aubergine dish and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps: 

Cook the Lamb Stew

Heat a large heavy-based pan or Dutch oven on medium to high heat.

When it's hot, add the olive oil and brown the diced lamb.

Do it in two batches if your pan is not large enough to ensure nice and even browning.

Lower the heat to medium, add the onions, and sauté until soft and slightly browned.

Stir in the peppers along with the garlic.

Cook for a few more minutes stirring continuously to avoid burning the garlic.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper paste, cumin, salt, and black pepper.

Give it a good stir before adding the Chicken Stock or water.

Adding stock to your dishes enhances the flavor.

Make sure you reduce the amount of salt when using store-bought stock or stock cubes.

Bring the mixture to a boil, take the lid off, and then gently simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours or until the lamb is tender.

Check the liquid and add more stock if needed.

Stir the lamb every half an hour or so to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom.

If there is too much liquid in the pan, cook further without the lid until the sauce thickens.

Prepare the Aubergine (Eggplant) Purée

Start cooking the aubergine purée while the lamb stew is cooking.

To prevent the aubergines from bursting, prick each one with a toothpick a few times and place them on a gas burner or BBQ.

Cook them until soft and the skin is charred while turning them frequently.

Place them in a bowl and then let them cool down.

Alternatively, cook the eggplants on the grill or by resting on a gas-burning stove.

If these aren’t an option, you can preheat the oven to 200° C (390° F) and then bake them for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft.

Although they won't have the smokey taste we are after, they will still taste great!

Peel the aubergines and discard the seeds if there are any.

Finely chop the aubergines and then place them in a sieve to get rid of their bitter water.

Set them aside until needed.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, add the flour, and then cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously.

Whisk in a little of the warm milk at a time, stirring continuously, until you have a smooth and velvety sauce.

Cook for a few minutes until thickened, stirring continuously.

Mix in the aubergine, and the grated cheese, and then season it with salt and nutmeg.

Keep warm until you serve it.

When the lamb is tender and the sauce is rich and thick, remove it from the heat.

Spoon the aubergine purée on a plate and then top it up with some lamb stew. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Top Tips From the Chef

• Adding stock to your dishes enhances the flavor. Make sure you reduce the amount of salt when using store-bought stock or stock cubes.

• The cooking time for lamb stew will vary depending on the size of the lamb pieces and the cut of the meat.

• Pick slightly firm but not hard aubergines when buying them. Discard the seeds after cooking if there are any.

• To prevent the aubergines from bursting, prick each one with a toothpick a few times and place them on a gas burner or BBQ.

• You can roast the aubergines in the oven if you don't have a BBQ or a gas stove. Preheat the oven to 200°C and then bake them for about 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft. Although they won't have the smokey taste we are after, they will still taste great!

• Place the finely chopped aubergines in a sieve to get rid of their bitter water.

Serving Suggestions

The most popular way to serve Hunkar Begendi is with Lentil and Bulgur Pilaf (Mercimekli Bulgur Pilavi), Bulgur Pilaf, or Turkish Rice Pilaf (Sehriyeli Pilav).

For a lighter meal option, serve it with a bowl of salad such as Tomato and Walnut Salad (Gavurdagi Salatasi), Beetroot and Feta Salad, Taboule (Lebanese Tabouli Salad), or Indian Chickpea Salad (Chana Salad), and a slice of Homemade Sandwich Bread.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious aubergine/eggplant recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this authentic Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan's Delight) recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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