İmam Bayıldı – Vegetable Stuffed Eggplants

"İmam Bayıldı" which means “The Priest Fainted” is one of the most popular Turkish vegetable dishes, made with eggplant. Legend has it that an imam (a muslim priest) was to marry a lovely young girl who had the reputation for being a wonderful cook.

“İmam Bayıldı” (i mam ba il di) which means “The Priest Fainted” is one of the most popular Turkish vegetable dishes, made with eggplant. Legend has it that an imam (a muslim priest) was to marry a lovely young girl who had the reputation for being a wonderful cook. As a dowry, he received several large vessels of the finest quality olive oil. The girl, wanting to impress her new husband with her cooking, left several eggplants to soak in the oil. When the imam returned home, he swooned in surprise when he discovered the eggplants had soaked up so much oil that the dowry was all but gone.

Another version of the story says he swooned because the eggplant dish she prepared was so delicious! Hence the name, “The Priest Fainted”.

This easy vegetarian recipe is a very special dish, especially if you love onions and garlic. Served cold, it works very well as a starter or “meze” or as an alternative to salad.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 8 medium eggplants
• 5 yellow onions
• 5 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp.salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 8 long, thin strips of green pepper (hot or sweet)
• more olive oil or light vegetable oil for frying

How to prepare:

1. Wash the eggplants and cut off both ends. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife, cut alternating strips of skin from end to end to make a striped pattern on each eggplant.

2. Using the tip of your knife, cut a slit lengthwise starting and ending about ½ inch or 1 cm from each end. Be careful not to cut the slit too long. To remove some of the bitterness, soak the eggplants in salted water for about 10 minutes.

3. While the eggplants are soaking, peel and cut your onions in quarters then slice them. Separate the layers. Wash and clean the insides of your peppers to remove the seeds. Cut each one in half then cut each half lengthwise so you have 8 pieces.

4. Heat the ¾ cup olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and garlic slices and fry until soft and translucent. Add the diced tomato, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir together and let simmer for a few minutes over medium heat.

5. While the onion and tomato mixture simmers, pour about ½ inch of olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the whole eggplants on each side until they begin to soften. Drain the extra oil on paper towels and leave them cool.

6. Arrange the eggplants side by side leaving some space between them in a large baking pan. Open each eggplant where you made the slit and stuff it generously with the onion mixture. Place a strip of pepper on top of each eggplant. Bake them in a 200°C /390° F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced.

7. Remove them from the oven, then let them cool down to room temperature. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top, cover and refrigerate. Serve cold, garnished with a little chopped parsley if desired.

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