Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik) - Food Wishes

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground lamb

Ground turkey reduces fat content while still providing protein.

pine nuts

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Walnuts offer a similar texture and health benefits at a lower cost.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Select 4 equally sized male eggplants with small round indentations.

Remove the leaves from the eggplants.

Use a peeler to make 4 evenly spaced peels on each eggplant.

Brush a baking dish with olive oil and place the eggplants inside.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until they start to soften but do not collapse.

After baking, brush the eggplants with olive oil and let them cool until manageable.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté 1 large onion in olive oil until golden brown.

Add 1 pound of ground lamb to the skillet, breaking it up into small pieces as it browns.

Stir in crushed garlic, black pepper, ground cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, dried rosemary, and salt, cooking for about 2 minutes.

Add a mix of diced sweet and/or hot chili peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender but not disintegrated.

Remove the skillet from heat and let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes before adding grated sheep's milk cheese.

Once the eggplants have cooled, cut them three-quarters of the way through the top peel to split them open.

Use two spoons or fingers to gently pull apart the eggplants for stuffing.

Fill the eggplants with the meat mixture, pressing it down gently to pack it in.

Optionally, decorate the tops with extra pepper strips and drizzle with olive oil.

Pour 1 cup of chicken broth into the baking dish around the stuffed eggplants.

Return the stuffed eggplants to the oven for about 45 minutes until very soft and tender.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary