A Different Touch to Royal Flavor: Meatball Hünkar Beğendi Recipe

Hünkar Beğendi, a beloved dish from Ottoman cuisine, receives a unique culinary interpretation with the addition of meatballs, creating a rich and satisfying main course.

This rendition features a creamy, smoky eggplant puree (beğendi) served as a base. Layered on top are tender meatballs, simmered in a savory tomato sauce, and finished with a generous topping of melted kashar cheese. This combination offers a delightful alternative for those seeking a novel flavor profile beyond the traditional Hünkar Beğendi.

The recipe meticulously outlines the ingredients needed for both the meatballs and the eggplant base. For the meatballs, it calls for ground beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, and a blend of spices including salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, and paprika. The beğendi requires roasted eggplants, butter, flour, milk, kashar cheese, salt, and pepper.

Preparation involves forming and lightly frying the meatballs before simmering them in a tomato paste-based sauce. Simultaneously, the roasted eggplants are pureed and combined with a béchamel-like sauce made from butter, flour, milk, and cheese. The dish is assembled by spreading the eggplant puree in a baking dish, topping it with the sauced meatballs, and finishing with more grated cheese before a brief bake until golden and bubbly.