#badrijani

Badrijani, Stuffed with Parsley, Kale, and Sesame Pesto + Spiced Almond Feta, and Topped with Tahini Dressing (V, GF)

Badrijani is a Georgian dish—fried eggplant stuffed with a walnut paste. We’ve taken our inspiration from this authentic dish prepared by Lucky Peach for the grand finale of our Aubergenius Games. (Did you miss it? We already visited the podium for our Eggplant Frites and Avocado and Eggplant Dip.)

Our final event is a tetrathlon of sorts—we’ve first prepared a crumbly and delicious Dairy Free Almond Feta; next, we moved on to a Parsley, Kale, and Sesame Pesto; and for the third event, we’ve brought back Deeva and Lee’s famous Tahini Dressing. If you’re just warming up, any of these dishes makes for a great starter, snack, or side with crackers, chips, or fresh veggies. If you’re going for the gold like us, prepare all three, and settle in for the final event—the badrijani itself. For top marks, fry your eggplants, load them with plant-based goodness, and roll ‘em into bite-sized spirals. Extra points for perfect form.   

Dairy Free Spiced Almond Feta:

Ingredients:

1 lemon

2/3 cups almonds

1 clove garlic 

2 tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbs water

Steps:

Combine all ingredients in your blender or food processor and mix well. Scrape the edges to make sure all ingredients are fully combined.

Enjoy as a spread right away or roll and wrap in plastic wrap and let set in the fridge for 2-3 hours for a more crumbly feta texture. 

Want to enjoy this on its own? We suggest topping with your favourite garnishes (we love basil and olive oil), and enjoy it with crackers, chips, or vegetables.  

This Almond Feta is also the perfect addition to our Badrijanis. See below for the full recipe.

Parsley, Kale, and Sesame Pesto:

Ingredients:

¼ cup shredded kale

¼ cup chopped parsley

1 tbs sesame seeds

1 tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Steps:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well, set aside and add to fried eggplants for Badrijanis.

Deeva and Lee’s Tahini Dressing:

Ingredients:

3 tbsp organic tahini (sesame butter) 

5-10 tbsp warm water

3 pinches Himalayan salt

2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

Juice of half large lemon (or full small lemon)

Steps:

Add all ingredients in a saucepan to heat, with 5 tbsp of water to start.

Add more water depending on desired thickness. 

Add salt to taste. 

Drizzle on dishes (like the badrijani below), or serve on the side for dipping.

Badrijani:

Ingredients

Almond Feta (recipe above)

Parsley, Kale, and Sesame Pesto (recipe above)

Deeva and Lee’s Tahini Dressing (recipe above)

1 eggplant

2 tsp zata’ar

Olive oil

Handful of beet sprouts (or other sprouts) and black sesame seeds, for garnish

Steps:

Wash and cut eggplant into thin slices—lengthwise will yield the biggest pieces, but either way works

Warm oil in a pan over medium heat. Once heated, add eggplant slices.

Fry eggplant until cooked through and lightly browned. Once cooked, season with salt to taste, and set aside to cool. 

Fold the zata’ar into your Almond Feta. 

Coat your fried eggplant slices with this Almond Feta and the Parsley, Kale, and Sesame Pesto. Add sprouts or greens if you wish, and roll eggplant slices. 

Top with Tahini Dressing, and enjoy!

“I called my boyfriend and lied to him. I told him I had lost my keys to my apartment and therefore I’d better come over to his house ... I knew that his mother was preparing badrijani, my favorite eggplant dish, and this was the only way I’d ever get the recipe.”

Christina Nichol on how to make the Georgian dish.