She Strengthens

Stuffed Eggplant Delight: A Flavorful Twist on a Classic Recipe

Get Ready for a Culinary Adventure

This mouth-watering recipe is specifically designed for cored and dried eggplants, but feel free to substitute with fresh cored eggplants, zucchinis, or green squash. With a total cooking time of 40 minutes and an active time of 30 minutes, you’ll be enjoying this delightful dish in no time.

Gather Your Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• 1 lb rice
• 1 lb ground beef (optional, omit for vegetarian)
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 small green chili or jalapeno peppers
• 1/2 bunch Italian parsley
• 1/2 bunch fresh mint or 1 tablespoon dry mint
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Turkish pepper paste
• 1/2 cup liquid vegetable or sunflower oil
• 10-15 cored and dried eggplants or 10 medium-sized fresh and cored zucchinis/eggplant/squash

Rehydrate and Prepare Your Eggplants

For dried eggplants, boil a pot of salty water, add the eggplants, cover, and turn off the heat. Let them rehydrate for 30 minutes while you prepare the stuffing. For fresh eggplants, zucchinis, or squash, wash and core them, then soak them in salty water to prevent discoloration until the stuffing is ready.

Craft Your Stuffing

Finely chop the onion, tomato, parsley, mint, green peppers, and garlic. Mix well with rice and ground beef (if using) in a deep bowl. Add the pepper paste, salt, black pepper, and cooking oil, and mix until everything is well combined.

Assemble and Cook Your Masterpiece

Begin filling the eggplants, being careful not to overstuff as the rice will expand during cooking. Place the stuffed eggplants upright in a deep pot, and if desired, cap them with tomatoes or mushrooms. Fill the pot with water until the tip of the eggplants, then cook on high heat for 5-10 minutes before reducing the heat to medium for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

Savor the Flavor

Your stuffed eggplant delight is now ready to be devoured! Enjoy the perfect blend of flavors and textures in this mouth-watering dish.