Stuffed Eggplants with Beef

(Nohutlu Etli Patlican Dolmasi - Adana)

4 small eggplants

Filling:
100 g regular ground beef
2 tbsp chickpeas, canned
2 tbsp rice, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp dill, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
2 fresh onion, chopped
1 pinch powdered Cheyenne Pepper
1 tsp salt
Pepper for taste

1 small tomato
1 cup beef stock
1 tbsp butter

Sauce:
1/2 lemon juice
1 tsp dried mint
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt

Mix all the filling ingredients in a small bowl with a tablespoon.

Cut off the tops of the eggplants. Discard the insides of the eggplants using a small spoon. (Don't throw them out though, put them aside to cook Eggplant Dish with Chickpeas). Stuff the eggplants with the filling you prepared. Don't over fill them, leave some space at the top. Cut 4 small tomato pieces and put one over each eggplant. Place the eggplants in a cooking pot. Cut butter in small pieces and put over the eggplants. Pour beef stock in the pot from the edges. Sprinkle the rest of the tomatoes all over.

Cover and cook over low heat until the eggplants are done which takes about 40 minutes. Turn heat the off, mix all the sauce ingredients then blend it with the juice in the pot.

Place the Stuffed Eggplants on a serving dish, pour the juice all over and serve immediately. Try serving this dish with Yogurt with garlic.

Eggplant Chirtma


Insides of the eggplants from Stuffed Eggplants with Beef (4 small eggplants)
1 -2 green onion, chopped
1 tsp pomegranate paste
60 ml extra virgin olive oil
50 ml hot water
Salt
Pepper

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup plain Turkish yogurt
1 clove garlic, smashed with salt

Place all the ingredients in a small cooking pot. Cover and cook on low heat until the eggplants are done.

Serve it with the garlic yogurt sauce at room temperature. Sprinkle some mint and drizzle a little bit olive oil over the top:)