Eggplant Khoresh 2 pounds lamb leg or shank (cut lamb leg meat into large cubes; do not cut up meat if using shank), or a 3-pound frying chicken, cut up 3 large onions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 cup unripe grapes (ghureh), 4 whole, pierced, dried Persian limes (limu-omani) or 1/3 cup lime juice 3 medium or 9 slim eggplants 2 teaspoons Persian allspice 3 large tomatoes, peeled and sliced 1 whole peeled tomato for garnish 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water In Dutch oven, brown 2 sliced onions with meat or chicken in 3 tablespoons oil. Add salt and pepper. Pour in 2 cups water for meat or 1/2 cup for chicken. Add unripe grapes, dried Persian limes or lime juice, cover and simmer over low heat about 1 1/2 hours for meat or 45 minutes for chicken. Peel eggplants and cut slim ones lengthwise into quarters or large ones into 1-by-1-by-3-inch strips. Place in colander, sprinkle both sides with water and 2 tablespoons salt, and set aside 20 minutes to remove bitter taste. Rinse and pat dry. Add Persian allspice and tomato to meat or chicken; mix well and adjust seasonings. Cover and cook another 45 minutes over low heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown eggplants in skillet in remaining oil and set aside. Or paint each side of eggplants with 1 tablespoon oil and broil in oven 10 minutes on each side. Brown remaining onion and 1 whole peeled tomato in skillet in 2 tablespoons oil; set aside. Transfer meat or chicken and sauce into deep ovenproof casserole. Arrange eggplants, then onion and tomato on top. Add saffron water, cover and bake 45 minutes or until eggplant is tender. Serve immediately from the same dish or keep warm in oven until ready to serve. Serve with chelow (saffron-steamed plain rice). Serves 10. From "New Food of Life" by Najimieh Batmanglij middle eastern recipe index christina m k al-sudairy buy the book!