Turkish Stuffed Eggplants (Imam Bayildi)
on Jul 09, 2023
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This simple, summery, vegan vegetable dish is cooked until the eggplant, tomato and onion filling is soft and lush.
This eye-catching dish is rich and soft and savory, and very popular in Turkish cuisine. It has just five ingredients, and this recipe is perfect for making the most of end-of-summer produce. You can serve it as a main course with Rice, Bulgur Wheat, or Couscous. Or serve it as a side dish or just part of a general Middle Eastern or Mediterranean spread.
The smell of Turkish Stuffed Eggplant in the oven is seriously one of the most enticing aromas around, so you’ll be selling dinner hard while you’re cooking. The vegetables are slowly oven-braised in flavorful oil until they become super soft and quite rich. Enjoy Imam Bayildi at room temperature to appreciate the flavors to their fullest.
The Story of Imam Bayildi
The name Imam Bayildi translates to “the imam fainted.” The backstory references an imam (Turkish priest) whose new wife was the daughter of an olive oil merchant. Included in her dowry were 12 bottles of his finest olive oil. Apparently, on the first night of their marriage, this Imam requested a dish made with this excellent olive oil. The wife obliged, making him a version of this dish: eggplants cooked until soft, stuffed with an onion and tomato mixture, and made with copious amounts of olive oil. He went crazy for it and asked that it be part of his daily supper. She obliged, making it for 12 delicious dinners.
On the 13th day — no stuffed eggplant. When the Iman asked what had happened to his favorite dish, she explained that she had already used up all of the valuable oil. Supposedly, the Imam was so stunned by the cost of the dish, and the extravagance of using all of this precious olive oil so quickly, that he fainted away clean on the spot.
{Vegan} Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Imam Bayildi): This simple, summery vegetable dish is cooked until the eggplant and tomato and onion filling is soft and lush.
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Ingredients
- Eggplants – The best eggplants to use for this dish are actually Chinese or Japanese eggplants. These varieties are smaller and more slender than the more common globe eggplants. They also have fewer seeds, and therefore the flavor is milder and less bitter.
- Olive oil – It stands to reason that olive oil is one of the most important ingredients in this dish, so you should use the best one that you have. (You will NOT have to use a whole bottle — I’m not sure what that young bride was thinking!) But the flavor shouldn’t be too fruity or intense. You want the taste of the eggplant and the tomato stuffing to shine, and not be overpowered by the flavor of the oil. The dish is slowly braised so the eggplant soaks up the oil, and becomes super soft and quite rich.
- Garlic, onions, and tomatoes – In this eggplant dish, the onions are the star of the stuffing, though the tomatoes are an important element as well. The high ratio of onions in the filling is very intentional. You can use red or yellow onions. Make sure your tomatoes are ripe and juicy. You should remove any big pockets of seeds but don’t worry too much about getting them completely seeded. The liquid in the tomatoes will cook down during the simmering of the filling. Make sure to use fresh garlic, and slice it thinly so it melts into the filling.
- Fresh parsley – Adds freshness and a pop of color. Stir some into the filling, and sprinkle some over the eggplant at the end to finish the dish.
- Aleppo pepper – Aleppo pepper is a nice blend of heat and that earthy warmth reminiscent of cumin with a slightly fruity flavor. It is not that spicy, which feels a little surprising because it kind of resembles red pepper flakes. It is available in specialty stores, spice stores, Middle Eastern stores, and online. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, you can sub in ½ teaspoon cayenne and ½ teaspoon paprika.
How to Make Imam Biyaldi
- Cook the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Cook the eggplant briefly in olive oil on the stove, then bake them uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Make the filling: Meanwhile, sauté the vegetables until the filling starts to blend and thicken, about 8 minutes. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Hollow out the eggplant: Press the softened inside flesh of the eggplant down into the skin so you create a long shallow well.
- Stuff the eggplant: Divide the stuffing evenly between the eggplants, heaping it in the little wells. Pour the boiling water into the pan and around the stuffed eggplants. Cover with foil and bake for about 50 minutes until the eggplants have basically collapsed.
- Remove from oven: Let cool in the pan to room temperature.
- Serve: Sprinkle with parsley and serve at room temperature.
Tips
- When you are cooking the tomatoes, cook them until they start to collapse and the mixture begins to thicken — about 8 minutes.
- When the eggplant has softened after being baked, but before it gets mushy, use a fork to create the little “moat” for the tomato filling.
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Turkish Stuffed Eggplants (Imam Bayildi)
Ingredients
- 6 small eggplants (regular or Chinese or Japanese; about 2 ½ pounds total)
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
- 2 medium onions (halved and thinly sliced)
- 6 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
- 3 tomatoes (cored and diced)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper plus ½ teaspoon paprika)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (plus more for optional garnish)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium-low heat. Add the eggplants cut side down, in a single layer. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Remove the eggplants to a rimmed baking sheet, lining them up skin side down. Repeat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the rest of the eggplants, transferring them to the baking sheet as well.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes and then remove from the oven. Let the eggplants sit while you make the stuffing.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in another large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until quite soft and golden brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until you can smell the garlic. Add the tomatoes, sugar, and Aleppo pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to collapse and the mixture begins to thicken, about 8 minutes. Stir in the 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
- Press the softened inside flesh of the eggplant down into the skin so you create a long shallow well. Divide the stuffing evenly between the eggplants, heaping it in the little wells. Pour the boiling water around the eggplants in the pan. Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the eggplants have basically collapsed in the pan, and the liquid around the eggplants has evaporated. If there is still a notable amount of liquid in the pan, uncover the baking sheet and continue baking for another 10 minutes or so until it is evaporated. Let cool in the pan to room temperature.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve at room temperature.
