Torshi Bademjan Recipe | Persian Pickled Eggplant

Torshi Bademjan is one of the most popular Iranian pickles, which is made with a variety of ingredients. 

Pickling custom has been popular in Iran since ancient times. As the autumn season approaches, the table of pickles has been set up in every house.

This custom is not very old, but it still exists, and making colourful pickles still gives some people the feeling of travelling to old times and grandma’s house.

Eggplant is known as the king of vegetables because of its many properties, and it plays a role in relieving pain, eliminating anemia and protecting against cancer. 

It is also widely used in cooking because of its delicacy and unique taste, and as we mentioned in the previous articles, there are different types of pickled eggplant.

For example, pickled stuffed eggplant, simple pickled eggplant, torshi liteh, etc. 

To see the full and step-by-step tutorial on how to make pickled stuffed eggplant (torshi ), stay tuned to the Cookery Magazine website.

Torshi bademjan is one of the delicious and popular Iranian pickles, which is usually served with dishes such as abgoosht, Lubia Polo, Estamboli, Dami-gojeh, etc.

Ingredients for making Torshi Bademjan

Japanese eggplant	1 kg
Chili pepper	2 pcs
Garli	6 cloves
Tarragon and Savory	1 medium batch
Carrot	3 pcs
Salt and vinegar	As much as needed

❗The better aroma of pickles

Local vegetables in the north of the country can create a very pleasant aroma in pickled eggplant. The most important of these vegetables can be mentioned Blue eryngo and Mentha pulegium. You can use these vegetables fresh or dried.

Recipe for making Torshi Bademjan

The first step

The second step

At this stage, we wash the eggplants well and then put them in a colander to drain their excess water.

Next, open the body (flesh) of the eggplants with a sharp knife, then put them in a suitable pot.

The third step

Now, add enough vinegar to the pot to cover the eggplants. Next, we put the pot on the heat and let the vinegar start to boil. After 5 to 10 minutes, remove the pot from the heat.

The fourth step

At this step, we take the eggplants out of the vinegar and put them in a colander to remove the excess vinegar, and you can put them on a napkin or towel to dry the eggplants faster. Next, we chop the garlic, carrots, and chili peppers into small pieces and put them in a suitable bowl.

The fifth step

Now, finely chop the tarragon and savory and add it to the bowl along with some salt and, if desired, turmeric, and mix the ingredients well until their texture is uniform. Next, we fill the inside and body parts of the eggplants with a mixture of ingredients.

The sixth step

After placing the ingredients, we could sew or roll up the flesh of the eggplants and then put them together in a suitable container.

Next, we add enough vinegar that the level of the vinegar is a fingertip higher than the level of the eggplants.

The seventh stage

If we want to reduce the Sour and tart with the pungent smell of the pickle’s vinegar, we can fill half of the container with vinegar and the rest with cold boiled water.

Next, we close the lid of the container tightly and put it in a dry and cool place for 30 days until the pickle is ready.

The eighth stage

Persian Pickled Eggplant with Pomegranate (torshi bademjan ba anar) in a very quick way with chopped eggplant

Eggplant	1 Kg
Garlic	250 grams
Pickled vegetables	100 grams
Grape vinegar	5 liters
Green peppers	4 pcs
Angelica and Nigella sativa	As much as needed
Salt	As much as needed
Sweet-and-sour pomegranate paste	1 cup
Barberry	½ a cup

If you want to increase or decrease the amount of pickle, just multiply or divide the amount of ingredients.

You need about 30 minutes to make this pickle, so get started right away.

Directions

The first step

First we separate the green part of the eggplants and wash them well until they are completely clean.

Then we chop them into cubes or any other desired shape with the skin and keep them aside, it is recommended not to dice the eggplants too finely and tiny.

The second step

Then we cut the garlic and pepper separately and set aside.

If you don’t want your pickle to be too spicy, you can chop half of the peppers and don’t chop the rest and throw them into the pickle jar in a healthy way.

The third stage

Put the chopped eggplants in a mixture of boiling water, vinegar and salt for 10 to 15 minutes until they are half cooked. Then put the eggplants in a colander and let them drain well.

At this stage, after the eggplants are drained, pour the pomegranate paste along with the dry barberries on them.

❗ Make sure that you pour vinegar as much as you pour water. Then we put the chopped peppers in the pot until it boils for about 15 minutes with a high flame and becomes a little soft.

The fourth step

At the end, we remove the boiled vinegar from the heat and after it cools down, pass it through a strainer to collect the pepper and eggplant eggs from inside.

The fifth step

Arrange a row of cooked eggplants in a glass container and then pour aromatic herbs, pepper, black seeds, angelica and chopped garlic on it.

Then put another layer of eggplant in the container and pour the other ingredients on it and repeat this process in layers until the container is full.

The sixth step

After filling the ingredients in the glass jar or container, pour the mixture of water, salt and vinegar that we passed through the strainer into the container so that it covers the ingredients well.
Close the container tightly and give the pickle time to ripen for a week in a cool place without humidity.

Golden tips for having the best Torshi Bademjan

• Pomegranate paste is absorbed by pickle after some time. Whenever you feel that the pomegranate paste is reduced, you can add diluted pomegranate paste again.
• When buying eggplants, be sure to choose shiny, elongated and heavy ones.
• Be careful that the eggplant is not injured. When buying eggplant, pay attention that the longer the eggplant cap is, the sweeter it is.
• The smaller the eggplants, the tastier your pickle will be; Because these eggplants do not have eggs and make the pickle more delicious.
• There are different types of vinegars and the best type of vinegar for making pickles is grape vinegar. The color of grape vinegar is red and it has a milder taste than white vinegar.

• Be sure to store the pickle in a cool place away from sunlight and preferably in the refrigerator.
• Pour the pickle in a glass container. The container you intend for pickling must be completely clean and dry. Otherwise, the pickle will mold. Close the container tightly so that air does not leak. If there is air, the pickle will spoil.
• The best containers for storing torshi bademjan or any other pickles are glass containers. In glass containers, you can store pickles for a longer time without changing color.
• So that your Persian Pickled Eggplant does not spoil quickly, as soon as you open the lid of the pickle container, it is better to keep it in the refrigerator. Keeping pickles in a cold environment makes them last longer.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Persian eggplant pickle, known as Torshi Bademjan, is a truly remarkable condiment that showcases the rich and diverse flavors of Iranian cuisine.

With its combination of tangy, smoky, and savory notes, this pickle adds a burst of complexity to any dish it accompanies.

Frequently Asked Questions about persian pickled eggplant