Kashke Bademjan is a simple Persian eggplant dip that is made with a handful of ingredients. This easy and tasty vegetarian dip is full of amazing flavors and makes for a perfect appetizer served with some warm bread. 

We however also add caramelized onions and a lot of goodies including kashk. This gives its unique tangy taste, making it an absolute flavor bomb!

Kashke Bademjan is actually also very easy to make. It’s great to serve as an appetizer with warm bread everyone will love! It can also easily be made vegan also, just leave the kashk out at the end.

Kashke (or Kashk) is liquid whey, and Bademjan translates to Eggplant in Persian (Farsi).

It’s a very popular Persian eggplant dip that consists of cooked and mashed eggplants, onions, garlic, dried mind and kashk. It has a similar texture to baba ganoush and is a dip you’ll almost always find served as an appetizer at a Persian dinner party or restaurant.

It’s usually served warm with a side of fresh Persian flatbread or pita bread.

• Eggplants are of course the star of the dish! Try to use large darker eggplants as they’re more meaty and ripe with more flavor. Traditionally they are fried for this dish, however, I like to roast mine in the oven instead for a lighter and healthier option.
• Kashk is a Persian fermented yogurt/curd which is salty and gives the dish its unique tangy creamy flavor. It’s found in Persian supermarkets and possibly middle eastern markets. If it’s hard to find, you can substitute it with sour cream or Greek yogurt, which also works great.
• Onion is sautéed with garlic for the base of the dish and is also commonly added as a garnish on top
• Olive oil is used throughout the recipe as my preferred oil
• Tumeric powder gives a lovely color and flavor to the dish. You won’t need much, as a little goes a long way
• Dried mint leaves give a beautiful aroma and color to the dish. They are a staple in many Persian recipes and are found in Persian, middle eastern, and Indian supermarkets.
• Vegetable stock is added to give the dish extra flavor while it’s being cooked. You can also add water instead.
• Walnuts are added for a little crunch along with the garnish on top. I like to toast mine on the stove or oven for a few minutes to bring out the nuttiness even more.

Persians love to garnish Kashke Bademjan. You can get as fancy or as simple as you like.

Here are some common garnish ingredients we love to add:

• Extra kashk or (sour cream or greek yogurt)
• Caramelized onions
• Fried dried mint 
• Bloomed saffron
• Chopped walnuts