Hünkar Beğendi – The Sultan’s Delight: A Taste of Ottoman Palace Cuisine

Hünkar Beğendi is one of the most distinctive dishes associated with Ottoman cuisine. Combining smoky roasted eggplant, creamy béchamel-style sauce, and tender lamb, this elegant dish is more than a traditional Turkish meal—it carries a story from the Ottoman palace kitchens.

Today, Hünkar Beğendi remains a beloved example of how Turkish cuisine brings together simple ingredients with rich culinary techniques.

What Is Hünkar Beğendi?

Hünkar Beğendi consists of two main parts: a creamy roasted eggplant purée and tender pieces of meat, traditionally lamb.

The eggplants are roasted over an open flame until their skins become charred. This gives the eggplant its characteristic smoky flavor. The flesh is then mashed and combined with butter, flour, milk, and cheese to create the smooth and creamy “beğendi.”

Tender lamb is prepared separately and served over the eggplant purée.

The result is a dish with a wonderful contrast of textures: silky eggplant underneath and rich, savory meat on top.

The Story Behind the Name

The name Hünkar Beğendi can be translated as The Sultan Liked It or The Sultan’s Delight.

The most famous story connects the dish with Sultan Abdülaziz and the French Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.

According to a widely repeated culinary tradition, Empress Eugénie visited Istanbul in 1869 and was hosted by the Ottoman court. A special meal was prepared for the imperial guest, and a dish combining roasted eggplant with a creamy sauce and meat was presented at the palace.

The story says that Sultan Abdülaziz enjoyed the dish, giving rise to the name “Hünkar Beğendi.”

However, the exact origin of the dish is not historically certain. Turkish culinary sources describe several different traditions about when and for whom it was first prepared. What is clear is that Hünkar Beğendi became strongly associated with Ottoman palace cuisine and has survived as one of the best-known dishes of that culinary tradition.

A Meeting of Two Culinary Traditions

One of the most interesting aspects of Hünkar Beğendi is the combination of techniques and ingredients.

Roasting eggplant over a flame is deeply rooted in Anatolian cooking, where eggplant has been used in many different dishes for centuries.

The creamy preparation, meanwhile, resembles European-style white sauces. Over time, Ottoman cuisine incorporated and adapted culinary influences from different parts of the empire and beyond.

Hünkar Beğendi is a beautiful example of this culinary exchange: a smoky Anatolian eggplant preparation transformed into an elegant palace dish.

How Is Hünkar Beğendi Traditionally Made?

The lamb is slowly cooked with onions and tomatoes until tender.

Meanwhile, whole eggplants are roasted over direct heat. Once softened, their skins are removed and the smoky flesh is finely mashed.

The eggplant is then cooked with butter and flour, followed by warm milk and cheese. This creates the creamy base known as beğendi.

Finally, the tender lamb is placed over the warm eggplant purée and served immediately.

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism also features Hünkar Beğendi among its sample dishes from Turkish cuisine, traditionally prepared with lamb and roasted eggplant.

Hünkar Beğendi Today

Although its story is connected with Ottoman palace cuisine, Hünkar Beğendi is no longer reserved for royal tables.

Today, it can be found in Turkish restaurants throughout Türkiye and in Turkish restaurants around the world.

For many people discovering Turkish cuisine for the first time, it offers an introduction to something beyond kebabs and grilled meats: the rich, refined and diverse tradition of Ottoman and Turkish cooking.

Whether enjoyed in Istanbul, Toronto, or anywhere else in the world, Hünkar Beğendi carries a little piece of Ottoman culinary history to the table.

A Dish Worth Discovering

From smoky eggplant roasted over an open flame to tender lamb cooked slowly until rich and flavorful, Hünkar Beğendi brings together some of the most characteristic elements of Turkish cuisine.

Its exact origin may remain part history and part culinary legend, but its place in Turkish food culture is undeniable.

Hünkar Beğendi is not simply a dish—it is a taste of Ottoman culinary heritage.**

Have You Tried Hünkar Beğendi?

If you are exploring Turkish cuisine in Toronto, add Hünkar Beğendi to your list. It is a perfect dish for anyone who wants to experience the deeper flavors and history behind Turkish food.