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The richest plant-based stew I’ve ever made

Plus: Georgian dumplings with a mushroom filling

Author

Julius Fiedler
August 29, 2025

A Persian Walnut and Aubergine Stew

I’ll never look at walnuts the same way. Next time you have the chance to grab a large bag of them, do it and make this dish. It’s hands down the richest plant-based stew I’ve ever cooked. Bold claim, I know, but it holds up. The recipe calls for 300 grams of walnuts, which could seem like a typo, yet once ground into a paste and shocked with ice cold water they release their oils and turn into the most satisfying base. Pair this with golden pan-fried aubergines (check out my favourite trick in the recipe to make them absorb less oil) and you’ve got a stew that feels incredibly moreish.

The dish that really deserves its close-up

Serve it with plain steamed rice or try it with my take on traditional tahdig for added crispiness.

Updates From the Test Kitchen

Soko Khinkali (Georgian Mushroom Dumplings)

Who knew scrumptious dumplings are part of Georgia’s culinary line-up? Most restaurants serve them stuffed with meat, but in the mountain regions of the country - where meat has always been less accessible - locals have long made variations with wild mushrooms instead. I still need to work on my pleating technique, but the flavour is already incredibly delicious!

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From the Archive

Kuru Fasulye (White Bean Stew)

This is often considered to be the national dish of Türkiye. It’s a firm favourite of mine and also happened to be on the menu at my book launch.

Lebanese 7 Spice Bean Soup (Fasolia-Inspired Stew)

A mix-up with traditional Fasolia led me to this plant-based version, and I’ve been making it ever since. An easy recipe to have on rotation.

My Cookbook

Three years ago, I started travelling to find the kind of dishes from around the world that just happen to be vegan. This book is a collection of the food I’ve discovered through my research and travels and words can’t quite describe how excited I am to be able to share this take on plant-based eating with you.

Over 90 traditionally vegan recipes

Hope you enjoyed this week’s recipe and get to try the Persian stew with your next pack of walnuts. See you next Friday for a new recipe. Have a good one!

Much love,
Julius