Hunkar Begendi - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Stew
1 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs lamb, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
Eggplant Cream Sauce
1 lb eggplant
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup kasseri cheese, grated

Preparation

Stew: Fry the onion in the oil till soft. Add meat and brown. Add garlic and cook for a few seconds longer.
Add tomatoes, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Add water to cover and simmer with the lid on for about 1 or 1 1/2 hours, till meat is very tender.
If necessary, add more water or let the sauce reduce a bit to get a good saucy consistency.
Eggplant Sauce: Prick eggplants all over and roast in a very hot oven (500 degrees or as hot as your oven goes) for 30 minutes, until eggplants soften and skin chars. Cool and peel carefully.
Put lemon juice in a bowl of water and put peelec eggplants in acidified water to keep them white.
Melt butter in saucepan, add flour and stiur over very low heat for 2 minutes or until well-blended. Remove from the heat and add milk gradually, beating vigorously. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Cook ove rlow heat for 15 minutes, until sauce thickens.
Drain the eggplants in a colander and squeeze out as much water and juice as possible. Chop in the colander and mash with a fork (I think this step is meant to allow additional drainage).
Mix with the milk sauce until well blended. Return to the heat, add grated cheese, stir until melted and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve the stew with the eggplant cream in a ring around it. Serve with rice.