Home / Dinner / Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight)

Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight)

Name: Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes; 3 tbsp butter; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp ground black pepper; 2 cups hot water; 2 lb eggplants; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 3 tbsp butter, for the purée; 1/2 cup shredded kaşar cheese or mild cheddar

Tender lamb stew spooned over creamy smoked eggplant purée — a dish fit for an Ottoman sultan.

⏱ 30 minPrep time

🔥 1 hr 30 minCook time

🍽 6Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet

Hünkar beğendi means the sultan liked it, and palace lore says the dish won over an Ottoman ruler at first taste. Lamb is simmered into a tomatoey stew, then served over beğendi, a silky purée of roasted eggplant thickened with flour, milk, and melted cheese. Its proper name is a mouthful, so everyone just calls it the sultan’s delight. It is Ottoman haute cuisine that works beautifully in a home kitchen, and it never fails to impress.

The sultan’s favorite, and it shows

The eggplant purée is smoky, creamy, and subtly cheesy, the perfect bed for the rich, saucy lamb. A forkful should drag both together — the stew’s brightness against the mellow purée is the whole point. Roast the eggplants until the skins are truly blackened, and stir the beğendi until it is glossy before spooning the lamb over the top. The stew can be made ahead; the beğendi is best stirred up fresh. It is the dish to make when you want a weeknight to feel like a palace dinner.

Craving more? Explore all Turkish Kitchen recipes.

Turkish recipes →

Step by stepInstructions

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the lamb and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes.
Add the onion and cook until soft, 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and tomatoes, then add the salt, pepper, and hot water. Cover and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, roast the eggplants directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning often, until the skins are charred and the flesh is soft, 15 minutes. Cool, then scoop out the flesh and chop it finely.
Make the beğendi: melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.
Stir the chopped eggplant into the sauce, then the cheese. Season with salt and simmer gently 5 minutes.
Spoon the beğendi onto plates, top with the lamb and its sauce, and serve hot.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Char the eggplants until the skins are truly blackened for the smokiest purée. The lamb stew can be made a day ahead; make the beğendi fresh before serving.

Recipe details

Prep30 min

Cook1 hr 30 min

Servings6

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight)

The sultan’s favorite, and it shows

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Log In

Get free recipes every week

Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight)

The sultan’s favorite, and it shows

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Join the conversation

Keep browsingYou might also like

Matar Paneer

Dr Pepper Glazed Ham

Cazuela de Mariscos Baja

Log In