"Hunkar Begendi" (hun-KYAR' BAY'-en-DEE') is the name of one of my favorite Turkish main course meals.
Hunkar Begendi is a delectable, melt-in-your-mouth beef and tomato stew served over a bed of hot eggplant mash thickened with milk, flour and cheese. Talk about warm, tender comfort food!
In Turkish, it means "the Sultan liked it" and so will you. This delectable combination is actually a classic Turkish dish from the Ottoman palace kitchens and it's still a favorite today all over the country.
For company, I like to serve this dish family-style on a large, decorative metal platter or a covered platter. Bring it to the table covered, then reveal it for a real "tah-dah" moment.
If you want to incorporate this classic Turkish main dish into your own menus, it goes very well with steamed asparagus and new potatoes.
Photo © Elizabeth Taviloglu, 2012