Türkiye · Türkiye

İmam Bayıldı (Stuffed Eggplant with Onion and Tomato)

Name: İmam Bayıldı (Stuffed Eggplant with Onion and Tomato)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Türkiye
Ingredients: baby eggplants 8 pieces; yellow onion, sliced thin 200 g; ripe tomatoes, chopped 250 g; garlic cloves, minced 20 g; flat-leaf parsley, chopped 20 g; fresh mint, chopped 8 g; olive oil 120 ml; sugar 8 g; fine salt 6 g; black pepper 2 g; tomato paste 15 g; lemon juice 15 ml

Whole baby eggplants stuffed with caramelized onion, tomato and herbs, slowly braised in olive oil.

95 minutes · 4 servings · Moderate

The name means the imam fainted, which is a joke about how rich the onion and oil make it rather than a religious dish. The eggplants are left whole so they keep the shape of a small flask, and the onion is cooked down far longer than seems reasonable before the tomato goes anywhere near it. It is served at room temperature, or barely warm, as a meze.

Ingredients

baby eggplants8 pieces
yellow onion, sliced thin200 g
ripe tomatoes, chopped250 g
garlic cloves, minced20 g
flat-leaf parsley, chopped20 g
fresh mint, chopped8 g
olive oil120 ml
sugar8 g
fine salt6 g
black pepper2 g
tomato paste15 g
lemon juice15 ml

Directions

1
Peel eggplant lengthwise in alternating stripes; soak in salted water 15 minutes; drain and pat dry.
2
Cook onion in 60 ml oil over low 12 minutes until golden; add sugar and garlic, cook 3 minutes.
onions are deep golden
3
Stir in tomatoes, parsley, mint, tomato paste, salt and pepper; cook 5 minutes.
4
Slit each eggplant lengthwise; gently open and stuff with filling.
5
Arrange in a pan; drizzle with remaining oil and lemon juice; cover and braise 35 minutes until tender.
eggplants are silky and tops are glossy
6
Rest 10 minutes; serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: WorldBite Editorial · WorldBite Proprietary Editorial Content