The name of the dish literally means the Sultan liked it

Here’s a recipe from Günaydın Dubai, definitely a dish with a colourful origin. The story goes that the Ottoman Empire’s Sultan Suleiman wanted a special dish prepared just for him made with the ingredients he loves; lamb meat and eggplants. The cook asked the servant if the sultan liked the dish he prepared and the servant replied, Hünkar Beğendi (meaning the Sultan liked it).
| Ingredients for eggplant puree |
|---|
| 400 gms eggplant |
| 50 gms butter |
| 10 gms flour |
| 80 gms cheese |
| 100 gms milk |
| salt and pepper |
Grill the eggplant. Once done, mash and mix with milk, butter, cheese, flour, salt and pepper.
| Ingredients for keab |
|---|
| 250 gms trimmed, boneless lamb leg meat, diced into 3 cm pieces |
| ½ piece tomato, finely chopped |
| 1 piece green capsicum, finely chopped |
| 1 piece red capsicum, finely chopped |
| 20 gms tomato sauce |
| Salt and pepper |
1. Cook the meat, together with onion, tomato and green & red capsicum, at 180 degrees for 90 minutes.
2. To serve, place the eggplant puree above bread, top with the lamb and scatter with parsley.