Imam bayıldı (Turkish stuffed aubergines)
Aubergines slowly braised in olive oil with a sweet filling of onion, tomato, garlic and parsley. Best served at room temperature.
- 75 min25 prep · 50 cook
- MediumDifficulty
- 380 kcalper serving
Ingredients
- Aubergines4
- Onions2
- garlic5 cloves
- Tomatoes4
- Green pepper1
- Chopped parsley4 tbsp
- Sugar1 tsp
- Olive oil120 ml
- Pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes)1 tsp
- Saltto taste
Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.
Steps
- 1
Peel the aubergines in stripes, leaving the stalks. Soak them in salted water to remove bitterness, then pat dry.
- 2
Fry them whole in half the oil, turning, until soft and golden all over. Drain and place in a baking dish.
- 3
In the rest of the oil, cook the sliced onions and pepper slowly until sweet. Add the garlic, three chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt and parsley and cook briefly.
- 4
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Slit each aubergine lengthways, open it like a pocket and pile in the filling.
- 5
Top each with a slice of the last tomato and a pinch of pul biber, add 100 ml water to the dish and bake.
- 6
Let them cool to room temperature before serving with bread and yogurt.
Tips and questions
- Why serve it at room temperature?
- Like all Turkish olive-oil dishes, the flavours settle as it cools. It’s even better the next day.
- Can I bake instead of frying the aubergines?
- Yes: brush them with oil and roast at 200 °C until soft, about 25 minutes. It’s lighter but less rich.
Enjoy your meal!
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