Lisan El Qathi Judges Tongue Iraqi Stuffed Eggplant Recipes

LIS'AN EL QA'THI - JUDGES' TONGUE (IRAQI STUFFED EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• peel the eggplant, trim off the top and bottom.
• stand eggplant up, and cut LENGTHWISE into 1/8'' thin strips.
• sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cumin.
• heat a very thin layer of oil on a skillet and fry the eggplant slices in batches, turning once to brown on both sides - do NOT overcook (they will cook to perfection at a later stage) - remember to add a fresh (thin) layer of oil for every batch of eggplant fried - let the eggplant slices try on paper towel.
• in a bowl: mix together the ground meats, the medium onion and garlic (both finely minced), spices to taste (don't overkill), and beaten egg.
• form the ground meat mixture into cylinders (sausage like rods) 1'' thick and 2'' long.
• place a portion of the meat stuffing at one enf othe eggplant slice, and WRAP the eggplant around it - place the rolls in a baking dish.
• Slice up one tomato, and layer on top of eggplant/meat rolls.
• In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp of oil and saute 1 large diced onion. When soft, add in 1 tomatoe (chopped), salt, pepper, tumeric/curry powder, and any other spices. Stir around until fragrant.
• Add tomato paste, beef/chicken stock, and lemon juice - this is your sauce - bring to boil, then cover and let simmer/thicken for 15 minutes.
• Once the sauce is thickened to your liking, pour it INTO the baking dish (it should cover all the rolls and reach near the top of the dish - this is good (more gravy/sauce for the rice, and ensures a nice even cooking of the meat).
• cover with lid (or aluminum foil), and BAKE at 450 degrees for 1 hour (or until done; one hour is certainly enough).
• take out and ENJOY an exotic taste that I am sure you will love; be proud of yourself, you made an authentic and wonderful Iraqi dish.

STUFFED EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the center, leaving enough meat inside the skin so that it holds its shape when baked. Boil the scooped-out center part until very soft, about 10-12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium heat. Season the beef (or turkey) with salt and pepper. Add the seasoned ground beef to the pan and saute until all of its liquid is evaporated and the beef begins to brown slightly. Drain the beef, removing the extra fat. Let cool briefly and chop the cooked beef so that there are no large chunks of meat. In another pan (or the same one you just used, minus the beef) add the remaining olive oil and saute the onions, peppers and garlic together.
• In a bowl mix together the cooked eggplant, vegetables, cooked beef, herbs, 1 cup of the cheese, bread crumbs, and the egg.
• Fill the scooped-out eggplant halves with this mixture, dividing it evenly among the 2 halves.
• Top with chopped tomatoes and the remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese, season with salt and pepper, place on an oiled oven tray or baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes, or until eggplant is soft. Let cool briefly, slice widthwise, and serve.