Imam Bayildi (Stuffed Eggplant)

Trim the ends of the eggplants and peel them in stripes, leaving alternating strips of skin and flesh.

Place the eggplants in a bowl and cover with salted water. This prevents bitterness. Set aside while preparing other ingredients.

Remove the eggplants from the water and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.

Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Rub to coat evenly.

Trim the stalky part of the eggplant, if desired, to make it more tender.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Place the prepared eggplants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until fried and roasted on the outside.

Cut the onions into strips, slicing vertically from root to stalk.

De-seed the red chili pepper. Chop the green and red chilies into rings or strips.

Roughly chop the garlic cloves.

Peel the tomatoes and dice them or chop them roughly.

Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the chopped garlic and chilies to the skillet. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the tomatoes soften up, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Stir in half of the chopped parsley and cook for a few more seconds.

Remove the filling from the heat and transfer it to a bowl to cool down slightly.

Using the same skillet, add 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato paste, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly.

Pour in 1 cup of warm water and stir to combine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer.

Stir in the remaining chopped parsley and cook for a few seconds.

Once simmering, remove the sauce from the heat.

Line a baking dish with parchment paper and add the parsley stalks to the bottom.

Place the baked eggplants on top of the parsley stalks in the baking dish.

Cut open the eggplants halfway deep lengthwise. Gently open the cuts with a spoon to create a pocket.

Stuff the filling generously into the pockets of the eggplants.

Pour the prepared tomato sauce over the stuffed eggplants.

Bake in the oven at 180°C (360°F) for 20 minutes, or until the eggplants are very tender and the sauce is bubbly.

Let the dish cool down for about 10 minutes before serving. This type of vegan dish is usually served cold or at room temperature.

Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.