What it tastes like
Deeply savoury and gently smoky, with soft lamb set against a rich, velvet-smooth aubergine base.
Dinner · Istanbul and the Marmara region
Hünkar Beğendi
Say it: hoon-kar beh-en-dee
Tender lamb stew spooned over a silky, smoky aubergine purée enriched with butter, milk and cheese. Its name means ‘the Sultan liked it’. While the legend is debated, the dish remains a grand Ottoman-era classic.
How to order it
Look for a purée with a clear charcoal aroma and lamb that yields easily to a fork. Eat the meat and beğendi together in every spoonful.
Good beside it
- A sharp seasonal salad
- Warm pide bread
- A light rice pilav
Dietary note
Contains dairy and usually gluten because the purée is thickened with flour. The stew contains lamb.