Türkiye · Turkish cuisine (zeytinyağlı, olive oil dishes)
İmam bayıldı
Slender aubergines fried until silky, split and stuffed with sweet onion, tomato, pepper and garlic cooked in olive oil, simmered until meltingly tender and served at room temperature on a tomato sauce.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | Turkey
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
Photo: AlexanderVanLoon · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source · cropped
original Original text, written in English.
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- Servings
- 4
- Preparation
- 30 min
- Cooking
- 40 min
- Resting
- 60 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
Cuisine / tradition: Turkish cuisine (zeytinyağlı, olive oil dishes) (TR) — declared by the author
- Main dish
- Side dish
- Starter
Ingredients
For 4 servings
- 5 piece long slender aubergines (about 1 kg)
- 1 tbsp salt, for the salted water
- 150 ml olive oil, for frying the aubergines
- 100 ml olive oil, for the filling
- 3 piece onions, finely sliced
- 5 clove garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 piece ripe tomatoes, diced
- 4 piece long green peppers (sivri biber), diced
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt, for the filling
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 400 ml hot water
- 3 tbsp olive oil, for the sauce
- 1 piece tomato, grated, for the sauce
- 1 tsp tomato paste, for the sauce
- 1 pinch salt, for the sauce
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to serve (optional)
Method
- Step 1. Peel the aubergines in alternating lengthwise strips, leaving the stems on. Soak them in a bowl of water with the tablespoon of salt for 20 minutes to draw out bitterness, then drain, rinse and dry well.⏱ 20 min
- Step 2. Filling: heat the 100 ml of olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the onions with 1 teaspoon of salt for about 10 minutes, until soft and pink. Add the garlic, the tomatoes, the peppers, the sugar and the black pepper and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.⏱ 20 min
- Step 3. Heat the 150 ml of olive oil in a separate pan and fry the aubergines on all sides for about 6 minutes in all, until golden and soft. Drain on paper towels.⏱ 6 min
- Step 4. Arrange the aubergines side by side in a wide pot. Slit each lengthwise down the middle, without cutting through the ends, and open it into a pocket. Fill each pocket generously with the onion mixture.
- Step 5. Pour the hot water into the pot around the aubergines, cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, until very tender.⏱ 20 min
- Step 6. Meanwhile, make the sauce: heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add the grated tomato, the tomato paste and a pinch of salt and cook until well reduced, about 8 minutes.⏱ 8 min
- Step 7. Let the aubergines cool to room temperature. Spread the sauce on a serving plate, arrange the aubergines on top and scatter with parsley if you like.
Story and cultural note
İmam bayıldı, the imam fainted, is an Ottoman and Turkish olive oil dish (zeytinyağlı) of aubergines stuffed with onion, garlic and tomato, traditionally without meat; the version with minced meat is the karnıyarık. Two legends explain the name: in one an imam fainted from delight at his wife's cooking; in the other he married the daughter of an olive oil merchant, whose dowry was plenty of olive oil, and fainted when it ran out. Both are presented as legends without documentation. The dish is served cold or at room temperature, and keeps for 3 to 4 days.
Tips for success
Salt-soak the aubergines to remove bitterness, then dry them well so that they do not spit in the oil. Cook the onion slowly until pink and sweet. Use good olive oil: it is the heart of the dish. Serve at room temperature, never straight from the fridge, and make it a day ahead if you can, as the flavour improves.
Serving and presentation
Arrange the aubergines on a plate on a little of the tomato sauce, with a thread of olive oil and chopped parsley. Serve at room temperature, with bread and a little yogurt or rice.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietVegetarianVeganGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-free
Containsnone declared
