Turkish Stuffed Aubergines!

 

Turkish Stuffed Eggplant Dish

Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik) Recipe

Do you think cooking at home is important for you, or not? 

We think that cooking at home is important for us. And furthermore, cooking at home is very important for the Turks and it is really part of our culture. On the other hand, today, many Turks don't want to cook foods in their homes and Turkish cooking has undergone much change within our lifetimes, and these changes have increased in recent times especially. Rapid urbanization, industrialization and technological advances are altering our cuisine. Other effects upon our cuisine are fast food and ready-made foods eaten on foot. People now prefer fast food or snack which give them a feeling of satiety. Under the influence of the globalization, small shops selling sandwiches, hamburgers, pizza, and grilled sandwiches are replacing the home made foods, and street food vendors and beverages halls are opening on practically every corner.

In this post; we are going to share our "Stuffed Eggplant meal (Karniyarik)" with you. Because, Turkish Stuffed Eggplant Dish is everyone's favourite meal in Anatolia (Turkey). You can find this dish in every restaurants but most of us prefer to cook this food at homes. 

Eggplant dish go back over 4000 years ago.

History of Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik)!

Turkish Stuffed Eggplant or "Karniyarik" demonstrates the Turkish love of stuffed eggplant with a deliciously-baked filling. Especially, it was very popular dish in Ottoman Palace Kitchen. Actually, the origins of the Turkish stuffed eggplant delight known as "karniyarik" go back over 4,000 years ago when the eggplant was first domesticated in a region that now includes parts of India and Pakistan. The proper species name for eggplant which is "Melongena", was referred to in ancient Sanskrit, the liturgical language used by religious persons of South Asia, so it was already pleasing the palates of these ancient diners when written references to it first appeared.

According to historians; from its place of origin, the eggplant made its way westward into the Middle East, penetrating up into Egypt, and northward into present-day Anatolia (Turkey). There are written records of the eggplant in Turkey from the ninth century on, so it is no exaggeration to say that the eggplant has played an important role in Turkish cuisine. Because, Turkish people love this vegetable's meals alot. 

However, Anatolia was not the only place which enjoyed partaking of this delicious and beautiful-looking vegetable. Between the fourth and seventh centuries, eggplants were introduced throughout the countries of Europe, starting in Spain and traveling eastward. Writings from the 16th century indicate that Spaniards held the this beautiful vegetable in great reverence, and believed that it contained a powerful aphrodisiac, prompting them to nickname the eggplant "berengenas", or apples of love. Italian people also came to acquire a great appreciation for the eggplant, and dubbed it the "melanzana". The eggplant was introduced to the all Mediterranean region in the middle ages and has made its way across the globe as a food staple.

What is Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik)!

The stuffed eggplant dish known as karniyarik is humorously named so by the Turkish since its literal translation is "a split belly". When served for dinner, karniyarik is generally considered to be the main course and is often served with rice (pilaf) accompaniment. Most people believe that the dish tastes better if the eggplants are fried in hot oil, and then baked in the oven for tenderizing.

If you looking for rich, vibrant and perfect dish
for the supper. Stuffed eggplant dish is really good,

How to Make Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik)

My husband is a sucker for Eggplant. Whenever we see them at the Bazaar. We buy them (especially small ones perfect for this dish). If you looking for rich, vibrant and perfect dish for the supper. We recommend that our "Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik)" dish is really good decision for the supper. Because, this "Turkish Stuffed Eggplant meal" is really rich, energetic and perfect as a light Supper. 

As we mentioned above of the post, we called this meal as "Karniyarik". The name literally translates to "a split tummy". This is because the long, selender purple eggplants are split in half lengthways before being stuffed and cooking. But, "Karniyarik" is to peel thin strips from the outside of the eggplants (like a skin of zebra pattern) before spliting in a half lenghthways eggplants. After the these processes, stuffing process and then cooking process starts. Traditionally, our karniyarik dish (Turkish Stuffed Eggplants) are garnished with Slice of tomatoes (if you want; you may use slices of green peppers instead of the tomatoes or no garnish).

Recipe for Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karnıyarık)!

Stuffed eggplant (Karniyarik) dish's preparation is not complicated. It is really easy and we are sure that when you try this recipe, your family and you like it alot.

Here it is our hearty and very yummy Stuffed eggplant (Karniyarik) dish's recipe;

Serve: 6 Servings, Preparation Time: 15 minutes, Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes, Cuisine: Mediterranean/Anatolian Cuisine, 

Very good family favourite;

Ingredients: 4 or 6 Long and selender purple eggplants, 

Ingredients: 300-350 gr ground beef,

Ingredients: 1 Normal size onion, finely chopped, 

Ingredients : 2 or 3 Normal size tomato, one of them is
sliced into 4 thick slices, rest of them coarsely chopped, 

Ingredients: 2 or 3 Green fresh Pepper, coarsely
chopped, one of them is sliced into 2 or 4 thick slices, 

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, one of them
 is for ground beef mixture, other one is for
diluted tomato paste : dish's sauce,

Ingredients: 2 cloves of garlic, minced, 

Ingredients : 1 / 2 Teaspoon of salt, ground black
pepper and red pepper flakes, 

Ingredients : 1 / 4 Cup Parsley, Chopped, 

Ingredients : 2 or 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 

Firstly wash your eggplants, then take the stem ends
off the your eggplants and strips off
with a knife in a skin of zebra pattern, 

Then fill a large bowl with water and stir in salt,
then soak your eggplants (20-25 mins). This process helps
that removing bitterness of your eggplants, 

Then heat one tablespoon vegetable oil in a large fry pan, 

Now add your eggplants. Cover with a lid and fry them gently, 

Fry your all eggplants until they are softened, 

For ground beef mixture; chop your onion finely, 

For ground beef mixture; grate your garlic,  

Then place your ground beef in a separate pan and
heat gently. Allow it to cook down
in its own juice for a while, 

Then add vegetable oil and fry it
for another couple of minutes,

Then add chopped onion and grated garlic
into the mixture and stir. Continue to fry
until your ingredients are soft, 

Meanwhile chop your tomatoes  coarsely, 

And chop your green fresh peppers coarsely too, 

For garnishing; cut your tomato into 4 thick slices
and cut your pepper into 2 or 4 thick slices, 

Then add chopped ingredients
(green fresh peppers) and stir,

Dont forget to add salt, ground black pepper
and red pepper flakes into the mixture,

Then add tomato paste and chopped tomato and stir.
Continue to fry until your ingredients are soft, 

Chop your parsley,

Then add parsley and mix through until
all the ingredients are well combined, 

If your ground beef mixture needs water add it and stir,

Then arrange your eggplants in a large
oven tray belly side up, 

Then start to filling process; stuff with ground beef
mixture into the eggplants, 

Then garnish with thick slices of tomato
and green fresh peppers, 

Lastly pour 1/2 cup of diluted tomato paste
over the eggplants, 

Put 1/2 cup of water, a tablespoon of tomato paste,
a pinch of salt and 1 / 2 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
into a bowl and mix all of them well, 

Then pour the diluted tomato paste over the eggplants, 

Then preheat your oven to 180 ° C ( 350 ° F ), 

And bake it in the oven for about 35 - 40 minutes, 

Your delicious stuffed eggplant dish is ready. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 or 6 Long & Selender purple Eggplants, (Long, Selender Purple eggplants are perfect for this recipe)
• 300-350 gr Ground beef or ground lamb,
• 1 Normal size onion, finely chopped,
• 2 or 3 Normal size tomato, one of them is sliced into 4 thick slices, rest of them coarsely chopped,
• 2 or 3 Green fresh Pepper, coarsely chopped, one of them is sliced into 2 or 4 thick slices,
• 2 Tablespoon Tomato paste, (one of them is for ground beef mixture, other one is for diluted tomato paste: dish's sauce),
• 2 Cloves of garlic, minced,
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt, 
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black pepper, 
• 1/2 Teaspoon Red pepper flakes,
• 1/4 Cup Parsley, Chopped, 
• 2 or 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil,

Preparation:

1- First of all, put your all ingredients on the work table. Secondly, wash your all eggplants and then take the stem ends off the your eggplants and strips off with a knife in a skin of zebra pattern (this process will help your eggplants hold their shapes better), 

2- Then fill a large and deep bowl with water and stir in salt, then add your eggplants. Soak your eggplants for about 20-25 minutes while you are preparing your filling. This process helps that removing bitterness of your eggplants. After these processes, your eggplants are ready to fry.

3- Heat one Tablespoon vegetable oil in a large fry pan and add your eggplants. Cover with a lid and fry gently until your eggplants are softened. Then, place your ground beef (or ground lamb meat) in a separate pan and heat gently. Allow ground beef to cook down in its own juice and the meat is nicely browned colour. Then, add vegetable oil, tomato paste, onion, garlic and green peppers. Continue to fry until your ingredients are soft, then add your tomatoes and cook down another 5 minutes. Now add your salt, ground black pepper, red pepper fkakes and parsley, and mix through until all the ingredients are well combined (if your ground beef mixture needs water, add it and stir). 

4- Then, arrange your eggplants in a large oven tray belly side up. Then, cut a long slit down the length of each eggplant and then start to filling process; stuff with ground beef (or ground lamb) mixture into the eggplants. And then, garnish with thick slices of tomato or slices of green peppers or both. 

5- Then put 1/2 cup of water, a tablespoon of tomato paste, a pinch of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil into a bowl and mix all of them well. Then pour the diluted tomato paste over the eggplants. Then preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake it in the oven for about 35-40 minutes, 

6- And be sure to serve hot. (Generally, we serve our Turkish Stuffed Eggplants (Karnıyarık) Dish with a plate of pilaf (rice dish) and an ice cold glass of "Turkish Salted Yogurt Drink (Ayran)". Also, it is served with a sesoning salad and with a Turkish Yogurt with Cucumbers and Herbs (Tzatziki/Cacık)

Enjoy!

Please let us know how this "Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik) recipe" turns out for you in the comments. We are always so eager to hear from you.

Best Eggplant Dish 

You may also like our;

• Super-easy-orzo-with-ground-beef-soup-recipe,
  
• Super-easy-cauliflower-with-ground-beef-dish-recipe,
  
• How-to-make-kibbeh-fried-kibbeh-balls,
  
• Turkish-spoon-salad-gavurdag-salatasi-recipe,
  
• Super-tasty-green-beans-in-olive-oil-dish-recipe,
  
• Healthy-mediterranean-salad-recipe,
  
• Rice-pilaf-with-orzo-dish-recipe,
  
• Yoghurt-and-cucumbers-dip-cacik-tzatziki-recipe.
  

Breadvesalt@gmail.com