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Stuffed eggplants karniyarik are creamy, smooth, and perfect for a light dinner! This traditional Middle Eastern dish is filling yet healthy with many nutritious ingredients such as ground meat, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and eggplant. The rich tomato sauce is well paired with tender pieces of ground beef and lamb and many flavorful spices. Everything is held together by a mild, slightly sweet, and creamy eggplant.
This karniyarik recipe is easy to follow and makes an excellent weeknight meal. It is also an impressive-looking entree that would be perfect for a dinner party. All of the delicious ingredients and seasonings come together to make a depth of flavors that will leave you and any house guests wanting more!
What Is Karniyarik?
Karniyarik is a traditional Middle Eastern stuffed eggplant dish. It is loaded with minced meat, onions, various seasonings, and tomato sauce. This recipe is said to have originated from Turkey and the name directly translates to ‘split belly.’ The name refers to the fact that the eggplant is first roasted in the oven and then cut open to be filled with the stuffing. Karniyarik is a beloved dish that you can enjoy at home or order at restaurants.
Do You Need To Salt the Eggplant?
Yes, salting the eggplants helps draw out excess moisture from the eggplant. This makes the eggplant more tender. Some people also believe that salting the eggplant draws out some of the natural bitterness of the eggplant. To salt, the eggplant, sprinkle kosher salt on top of the part that has been peeled. Then let it sit for 30 minutes. Once it has released a significant amount of liquid, wash off the kosher salt. Finally, dry it well with a paper towel.
What Meat Should You Use?
I love to use a mix of ground beef and lamb since I think it gives the eggplant the best flavor. If you find lamb too gamey or think ground beef is too fatty, you can also use other kinds of ground meat such as chicken or turkey as a substitute. You can also use leaner ground beef with a smaller percentage of fat as a healthier alternative.
What Is Baharat?
Baharat means spices in Arabic, and the term is generally referred to as a 7 spice mix. This all-purpose spice blend is used in many Middle Eastern dishes and provides a unique flavor. Although many countries in the Middle East use baharat, each region has a slightly different version of the blend. If you do not have baharat for this dish, you can use equal parts of paprika, cumin, and cinnamon.
Preparation
Prepare the eggplant by peeling the eggplants lengthwise, leaving some stripes on the skin, cutting the top part off, and leaving the bottom
Sprinkle some kosher salt on the eggplant and let it sit for 30 minutes
Using a sharp knife, cut the middle part of each eggplant, making sure you do not go all the way down, like a boat shape; save the central part of the eggplant that will be added to the tomato sauce
In the meantime, over high heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil to a deep pan or a pot and add the chopped onion; saute for 3 minutes
In the same pan, over high heat, add the rest of the olive oil, add the onions; saute for 3 minutes; add the chopped garlic, saute for another 2 minutes, and add the chopped tomatoes, the cubed eggplant, salt, and pepper, red pepper paste, dry thyme. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste mixture. Stir all together and cook for 20 minutes.
Use a hand blender in the same pot to blend the tomatoes mixture until you reach the desired texture; I like mine a little chunky.
Start arranging the dish together; in the same pan, if you can, stuff the eggplants with the meat mixture and place on top of the tomatoes sauce, cover and cook in a preheated oven at 400 F for 30 minutes; sprinkle with the chopped parsley served with our rice vermicelli recipe
How to Store Stuffed Eggplants?
Ingredients:
Adjust Servings
| 4 large eggplants | |
| 1 lb ground lamb | |
| 1 lb ground beef | |
| 2 onions (chopped separately) | |
| 10 cloves garlic (chopped separately) | |
| 8 large tomatoes (chopped small chunks) | |
| 4 tablespoons tomato paste (mixed with 1 cup of warm water) | |
| 2 tablespoons red pepper paste | |
| 1 jalapeno pepper (chopped) | |
| 1 tablespoon cumin | |
| 1 tablespoon coriander | |
| ½ tablespoon baharat | |
| 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper | |
| 2 bay leaves | |
| 2 tablespoons black pepper (separate) | |
| salt to taste and extra to sprinkle the eggplant | |
| ½ cup chopped parsley | |
| 1 tablespoon dry thyme | |
| 4 tablespoons olive oil |
Preparation
Rana’s Notes!
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