Imam bayildi recipe
Recipe for imam bayildi
A Turkish dish of stuffed aubergines (eggplants) whose name means ‘the imam fainted’. According to legend, when aubergines prepared in this way were offered to a certain imam (priest), he was so moved by the fragrant odour of the dish that he fainted from sheer gastronomical joy! Soak 200 g (7 oz, I cup) currants in a little tepid water. Wipe 4 long aubergines (eggplants) and, without peeling them, slice them in half lengthways. Carefully remove the pulp without piercing the skin, cut it into small dice and sprinkle with lemon juice. Peel and chop 4 large onions; peel, seed and crush 8 large tomatoes; and chop a small bunch of parsley. Heat 4-5 tablespoons olive oil and brown the diced aubergine, tomato pulp, chopped onion and parsley. Add salt, pepper, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf. Cover the pan and cook gently over a low heat for about 20 minutes. Then add 2 crushed garlic cloves and the drain currants. Mix everything together thoroughly and cook for a further 5 minutes. Grease an ovenproof dish remove the thyme and the bay leaf, arrange the aubergine halves in the dish, and fill them with the mixture. Pour some olive oil around the aubergines and add a little fresh thyme and some crumbled bay leaf. Cook in a preheated oven at 160°C (325°F, gas 3) for 2 hours. Serve hot, warm or cold.