Kashk-e Bademjan - Persian Eggplant & Whey Dip

Today marks my first blogoversary! 

Food blogging has been both a journey and a healing process for me. Over the past year, I've chopped onions, fried eggplants, pickled garlic, steamed rice, and ground saffron threads, each carrying with it a memory, a story, and a little piece of comfort. 

I started this blog exactly a year ago as a tribute to my late mother, who had passed away six months earlier after an illness. It was my way of honoring her remarkable culinary skills, her deep knowledge of ingredients, and her warm, welcoming spirit. My mother loved nothing more than serving delicious food with generosity and joy. 

Little did I know that through this process, I would grow into a more passionate foodie myself. What began as a way to preserve her memory became an exploration of food, nutrition, and even cuisines from around the world. From the time eight or nine,  when my mother first taught me how to saute onions, an essential step in nearly every Iranian dish, I can still remember standing by her side, watching the onions slowly turn golden. This simple act of sauteing onions is the foundation of Persian cooking, and it's also the beginning of my love for food. 

In the early months of blogging, I was mostly documenting recipes I remembered, posting frantically, treating it almost like a duty to keep her legacy alive. But over time, I found joy in the writing, in sharing recipes, in connecting with other food bloggers. What began as a homage to my beloved maman slowly became a source of healing, helping me feel close to her through every story, every dish, every word.

And so today, as I celebrate a year of blogging, it feels right to share a recipe that she would prepare so lovingly: کشک بادمجان Kashke-e Bademjan.

This quintessential Persian appetizer may not be considered a main dish, but once it's on the table with some lavash (flatbread) and a tall glass of cool water, you really don't need much else. Made from eggplants, caramelized onions, garlic, and kashk (whey), it's simple and flavorful. And best of all, it's proof that Persian cooking doesn't have to be time-consuming.

Dried Whey (Kashk)

Kashk-e Bademjan

Ingredients

Serves 4

-2 large eggplants

-1 large onion, peeled, thinly sliced

-5 garlic cloves, minced

-2 tablespoons dried mint

-1/2 teaspoon turmeric

-1 teaspoon liquid saffron

-Salt and pepper, to taste

-Olive oil or vegetable oil

-1 cup liquid kashk (whey) - available at Iranian or Middle Eastern grocery stores.

-2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Pierce the eggplants with a knife to let steam escape. Place them on a baking sheet and roast in until softened for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool. 
3. Peel off the skin, cut the eggplants into small cubes.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and saute until golden. Stir in the turmeric, then add the garlic and dried mint, saute for another 5 minutes.
5. Add the chopped eggplant, saffron, salt, and pepper. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes over low heat. 
6. Stir in the kashk (liquid whey) over the eggplant mixture and cook gently for about 5-10 minutes on low heat for the flavors to come together. 
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter, and drizzle with extra kashk if desired. 
8. Garnish with fried onions and chopped walnuts. 

Kashk-e Bademjan can be made a day ahead and served at room temperature with warm flatbread or pita chips.

Enjoy!