Kurdish Lamb and Eggplant Stew (Tirşik)

Method

1. Cut the eggplants into cubes, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

2. Cut the onions into small pieces and set aside.

3. Sprinkle sumac, pul biber and salt over the lamb.

4. Add sunflower seed oil into a pan and turn to high heat. Add the lamb with the side covered in spices face down. Add more sumac, salt and pul biber to the side face up and then turn over until it browns on both sides and remove from heat. Set aside. Then add the onions and turn down heat to low to medium heat. Stir occasionally.

5. Chop up red bell pepper into cubes after removing stem and inside. Set aside. Cut up tomatoes as well and set aside.

6. Add a cup of boiling water to a bowl with garlic. Set aside.

7. When all ingredients are prepared and onions are brown, we can begin to bring the stew together. First add tomatoes and red bell pepper and turn heat up to medium.

8. When tomatoes begin to soften, add two tablespoons of cumin, hot paprika and tomato paste. Stir together.

9. Add eggplant and combine with tomato ingredients. Allow to cook a few minutes. Add lamb and two tablespoons of aci biber sauce, garlic water and stir all together. Cover, turn to low heat and let steam cook for approximately 75 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

10. Serve with rice and/or pita and for condiments, pickled vegetables Middle Eastern style such as turnips, cauliflower, sweet peppers and yogurt or hair cheese (çeçil peyniri), as well as parsley and çoban salata (tomato and cucumbers as a spread or Kurdish homestyle, with a table cloth laid out on a rug with cushions around for your guests. To drink, serve with beer or ayran or even red wine, depending on the customs and preferences of your guests.