Hünkâr Beğendi

Method

1. Prick 1 aubergine in a few places and char it whole directly over a gas flame, on a barbecue or under a very hot grill for 20-25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is blistered black all over and the aubergine has collapsed and feels completely soft. Put it in a bowl, cover, and leave 10 minutes.
2. Peel off and discard the blackened skin while the aubergine is still warm, cut away the stem, and let the flesh drain in a sieve for 5 minutes so the bitter juices run off. Chop the flesh roughly with a knife — never a blender, which would make it gluey.
3. Melt 0.5 tbsp of the butter in a small heavy pan over medium-high heat. Pat 140 g of lamb dry, season with a pinch of the salt and brown the cubes on all sides for about 5 minutes without crowding them, until well coloured.