İmam Bayıldı (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 70 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Imam bayildi is not served warm; it waits in the fridge until fully chilled.
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This Turkish dish is eggplant peeled in stripes, filled with browned onion and tomato, and braised gently in olive oil, and on a cold plate nothing hides the taste of that oil. That is why the recipe asks for a good extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Wash the eggplants and peel the skin in vertical stripes (zebra pattern).
Soak them in salted water for 15 minutes to remove bitterness.
- 2
Pat the eggplants dry and make a deep lengthwise slit down the center of each eggplant, leaving both ends intact.
- 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, place the eggplants, cover, and steam-cook on low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
- 4
In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil.
Sauté sliced onions and garlic until brown. Add chopped tomatoes, sugar, and salt, cook for 5 minutes, then stir in parsley.
- 5
Gently open the slit of the cooked eggplants to make space, and stuff them generously with the prepared onion and tomato mixture.
- 6
Place the stuffed eggplants in a deep pan.
Pour in the remaining olive oil and 100 ml of water. Cover and simmer on very low heat for 30 minutes.
- 7
Turn off the heat and let the dish cool briefly.
Transfer it to a sealed container and refrigerate within 2 hours, then serve well chilled.
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