Turkish Eggplant Recipes

TURKISH STUFFED EGGPLANT (KARNIYARIK)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush some olive oil over the bottom of a baking dish.
• Peel 4 strips, spaced evenly apart, from each eggplant. Place eggplants in the prepared dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until eggplant just start to soften, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with some olive oil. Leave oven on and let eggplant cool.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt; saute until onions are translucent and slightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add lamb and cook, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, rosemary, parsley, tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon salt to the lamb. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add poblano and Fresno chiles. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Add Pecorino cheese.
• Slice an opening into each eggplant through one of the peeled strips. Spread eggplant 'bellies' open with two spoons and remove excess seeds if desired. Season insides with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and fill with the stuffing. Drizzle remaining olive oil on top; pour chicken broth into the dish.
• Continue baking until eggplants are very soft and tender, about 45 minutes. Spoon pan drippings on top to serve.

TURKISH-STYLE BRAISED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Trim ends off the eggplant. With a vegetable peeler, cut off alternating strips of skin. Cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes, place in a colander over a large bowl and toss with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to 3 hours, rinse well and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible; do not break cubes up.
• In a large skillet or saucepan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the eggplant cubes and move them around occasionally, until they are rather tender and somewhat browned, about 7 minutes. Remove from the pan with tongs, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan. Set aside.
• Add remaining oil to the pan with the onions and pine nuts and stir occasionally, until the onions are transparent and some pine nuts are lightly browned, 7 or 8 minutes.
• Return eggplant to the pan with the tomato, raisins, sugar, cinnamon, cumin and pepper. Mix well, then turn heat to low. Cover the pan and cook until the eggplant is very tender but still in distinct pieces, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring once or twice, until the liquid is somewhat thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat and let sit uncovered until it is at room temperature, about 45 minutes. Stir in the dill and parsley, adjust the seasonings to taste and serve, accompanied by yogurt and lemon wedges for squeezing.

25 EASY TURKISH RECIPE COLLECTION

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prep a Turkish dish in 30 minutes or less!

VEGAN TURKISH BAKED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Place eggplants in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking pan.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet. Add onion, red bell pepper, and garlic; cook until onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels and arrange in the prepared baking pan. Drop a teaspoonful of the tomato mixture onto each eggplant slice. Drizzle remaining olive oil over and around slices. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until eggplant slices are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Garnish with pine nuts and cilantro leaves. Serve at room temperature.