Ingredients for Imam Bayildi
700g Pearl eggplant (Japanese pearl eggplants work well)
180ml Papa’s Grove extra virgin olive oil to shallow fry eggplant
300g onion, halved and finely sliced
2-3 large green or red chili peppers, deseed for milder flavor and chop into 1 cm pieces
400g quality plum tomatoes, chopped or 400g chopped Italian tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1.5 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
2 teaspoons sugar
Sea-salt and black ground pepper, to taste
Extra wedges of lemon, to serve
Execution:
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the eggplant length ways in zebra stripes. In each half of the eggplant, cut a deep split length ways without cutting through to the skin on the opposite side and leaving 1/2″uncut at either end. Sprinkle salt all over the eggplants and set aside for about 10-15 minutes to leach out the moisture and bitter juices of eggplant. Thoroughly drain and pat dry the eggplant with a paper towel.
- Heat the olive oil in a deep-sided pan on medium flame. Place a few eggplants in the oil and shallow-fry on all sides until soft and golden brown all over, for about 5 minutes. Place eggplant on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Heat the EVOO in a large wok or sauté pan on medium-high flame. Add the onion and peppers, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, cumin and paprika, cook for a minute, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons water, dried mint, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Add chopped parsley, stir well.
- Place the slightly cooled eggplants to a chopping board and open up the cut in the middle to create pockets. Spoon the tomato mixture into the pockets, packing it in tightly (any leftover filling can be placed in between and around the stuffed eggplant later).
- Place the stuffed eggplants side by side in a wide, heavy pan. Spoon any leftover filling in between and around stuffed eggplants. Mix ½ cup water, lemon juice and sugar and pour it over the eggplants.
- Cover the pan with a lid and place over a medium heat to get the eggplants hot and create some steam. Once the cooking liquid is hot, cook the eggplants for about 45-50 minutes on low-medium flame Once cooked, they should be soft and tender, with very little cooking liquid left at the bottom of the pan.
- Leave the eggplants to cool and rest in the pan for the flavors to mingle, then carefully place them in a serving dish and spoon the leftover sauce and oil from the pan over the eggplants. Serve at room temperature or cold, with a wedge of lemon and garnished with parsley.
