Flatbean And Meat Stew With Eggplant

Ingredients

• ½ kilodiced lamb fillets
• 1 kiloflat beans, cut into pieces (or green beans)
• 1aubergine, diced and fried
• 1onion, finely diced
• 1 bottlepassata
• 2 bottles, filled with waterwater
• 1 tspchilli paste
• 1stock cube
• to tasteblack pepper
• to tastesalt
• 2 tbsp (30 ml)ghee

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the onion

   Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) ghee in a large pot. Fry the diced onion until golden brown.

2. 2

   Add the lamb

   Add the lamb to the onion and stir to combine.

3. 3

   Add beans and passata

   Add the flat beans, then pour in the passata and stir.

4. 4

   Measure the water

   Fill the empty passata bottle to the top with water twice. Add both bottles of water to the pot and stir.

5. 5

   Season the stew

   Add the stock cube, then season with black pepper and salt to taste.

6. 6

   Add chilli paste

   Stir in the chilli paste.

7. 7

   Fry the aubergine

   Fry the diced aubergine and set it aside.

8. 8

   Finish the stew

   When the flat beans are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly, stir in the fried aubergine. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

9. 9

   Serve the stew

   Serve with Lebanese rice and raw onion.

What is flat bean and meat stew?

This is a tomato-based stew combining lamb, flat beans and aubergine. The recipe pairs it with Lebanese rice and raw onion, making a filling meal with a contrast of soft, savoury stew and crisp, sharp accompaniments.

Its exact regional origin is not specified here. What makes this version work is adding the fried aubergine near the end, so it joins the sauce without cooking for the full length of the stew.

Choosing the ingredients

Flat beans: cut them into pieces of similar size so they soften at a similar pace. Green beans are suggested as an alternative.

Lamb: diced lamb fillets bring the meat component, while passata and water create the cooking liquid. The stock cube and chilli paste provide the seasoning base.

Build the sauce in stages

Golden onion: take the onion to a golden brown before adding the lamb; this is the first flavour-building step in the method.

Passata and water: fill the empty bottle twice to measure the water, then stir it through with the passata and beans. This gives the beans room to cook in the sauce.

Fry the aubergine separately

Separate cooking: fry the aubergine and set it aside while the beans cook. Adding it only after they are soft helps keep the pieces distinct rather than having them simmer throughout.

Final five minutes: stir the aubergine into the stew and cook for a further 5 minutes, as directed.

Check softness and thickness

Bean doneness: the recipe's cue is that the flat beans should be soft before the aubergine goes in. Check a piece near the end of cooking.

Sauce texture: wait until the sauce has thickened slightly before adding the aubergine. The method gives no total cooking time, so use these texture cues rather than a set number of minutes.

Serve with rice and onion

Lebanese rice: serve it alongside the stew to soak up the tomato sauce and make the meal more substantial.

Raw onion: serve it on the side for a crisp, pungent contrast to the soft beans, lamb and aubergine.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the beans into even pieces so they cook at a similar rate.
• Use the empty passata bottle to measure both portions of water.
• Season with salt gradually, since the stock cube also adds salt.
• Fry the aubergine separately and hold it back until the beans are soft.
• Check the beans for tenderness before adding the aubergine.

Variations

• Use green beans: swap them for the flat beans as suggested in the recipe.
• Adjust the heat: use less chilli paste for a milder stew.
• Add more chilli: increase the chilli paste to taste for a hotter version.
• Serve with bread: offer bread alongside the stew to mop up the sauce.
• Add a salad: serve a fresh salad with the rice and raw onion.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding aubergine too early: it cooks through the whole simmer; fry it separately and add it when the beans are soft.
• Guessing the water: fill the passata bottle twice to follow the recipe's measure.
• Stopping while beans are firm: continue cooking until they are soft before adding the aubergine.
• Over-seasoning at the start: the stock cube is salty, so add salt to taste.
• Skipping the final simmer: cook the stirred-in aubergine for a further 5 minutes.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick.

Frequently asked questions