Turkish Karnıyarık

Ingredients

• 4 medium eggplants
• Salt, for drawing out bitterness
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 400g ground beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped, plus more sliced for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup hot water
• Chopped parsley, to garnish

Before you cook

• Peel the eggplants in alternating lengthwise stripes, leaving some skin on for structure.
• Salt the peeled eggplants and let them rest for 10 minutes to draw out bitterness, then rinse and pat dry.
• Finely chop the onion, green pepper and tomatoes.
• Mince the garlic.

Steps

1. Heat about 2cm of oil in a wide skillet over medium heat.
2. Fry the eggplants whole, turning occasionally, for about 12 minutes, until the skin is golden and the flesh has softened.
3. Lift the eggplants out and drain them on paper towels.
4. Heat a separate pan over medium heat with a little oil.
5. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
6. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 8 minutes.
7. Add the chopped green pepper and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
8. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.
9. Season with cumin, salt and pepper.
10. Simmer the filling for about 8 minutes, until thickened, then remove it from the heat.
11. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
12. Arrange the fried eggplants in a baking dish.
13. Slice down the centre of each eggplant lengthwise, stopping before you cut all the way through the base.
14. Gently open each slit with a spoon to make room for the filling.
15. Spoon the beef filling generously into each eggplant, mounding it slightly.
16. Top each stuffed eggplant with a slice of green pepper or tomato.
17. Pour the hot water into the bottom of the baking dish around the eggplants.
18. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the eggplants are fully tender and the filling is bubbling.
19. Scatter chopped parsley over the top.
20. Serve hot, with rice alongside.