Do not cut the bottom
The longitudinal cut only opens the top. If the bottom remains intact, the soft eggplant holds the filling and sauce together securely.
Turkish Recipe
Karnıyarık
The aubergines are roasted until soft and only then opened lengthways. A boiled minced meat filling prevents the finished aubergines from becoming watery.
Total time
1 hr 35 min
Calories
560 kcal
Servings
6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Stuffed turkey eggplant with minced meat
The name Karnıyarık means slit belly and describes the lengthwise open eggplants. Unlike vegetarian İmam Bayıldı, the filling consists of minced meat, onions, green peppers and tomatoes. For a more everyday version, the eggplants are roasted in the oven with a little oil instead of deep-frying them completely. The meat mixture must be boiled down vigorously beforehand to taste concentrated and the eggplants do not float in liquid during baking.
Mediterranean Cuisine
Lunch
Dinner
Meat
Recipe
Karnıyarık
Karnıyarık are Turkish oven-baked eggplants stuffed with spicy ground beef, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, garlic and parsley.
Ingredients
6 servings
Method
-
1
Peel the eggplant in strips
Remove three narrow strips of skin from each eggplant lengthwise to create a zebra pattern. Rub salt all around with a teaspoon and let stand for 20 minutes.
-
2
Roast the eggplant until soft
Preheat oven to 220 ° C. Pat the aubergines dry, brush with four tablespoons of olive oil and turn for 25 to 30 minutes until they are soft.
-
3
Fry minced meat vigorously
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan. Fry the minced meat for 5 minutes until crumbly and brown, then fry the onions and diced peppers for another 5 minutes.
-
4
Boil down the filling
Roast garlic, one tablespoon tomato and one tablespoon pepper paste. Add diced tomatoes, pul biber, pepper and remaining salt and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Fold in parsley.
-
5
Carefully open the eggplants
Reduce oven temperature to 190 ° C. Place the eggplant in a tin and cut lengthways in the centre without cutting the bottom. Press the soft inside apart with two spoons.
-
6
Generously fill and cover
Divide the minced meat mixture into the openings and top each aubergine with a slice of tomato and half a green bell pepper.
-
7
Pour in tomato sauce
Stir the remaining tomato paste with hot water until smooth and pour into the tin on the side. Do not pour the sauce directly over the filling.
-
8
Karnıyarık finished stewing
Bake the aubergines for 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce is slightly boiled and the minced meat filling reaches at least 71 ° C. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Karnıyarık
Boil the filling dry
watery tomato filling runs out of the eggplant and dilutes the sauce. Before filling, hardly any free liquid must be visible in the pan.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace minced beef with minced lamb and add half a teaspoon of cumin for a stronger, slightly fattier filling.
Leave out the meat and double the amount of onion. Use more tomatoes and olive oil and braise the aubergines until completely soft.
Nutrition per serving
560kcal
24.0 gCarbohydrates
31.0 gProtein
37.0 gFat
Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Karnıyarık
Karnıyarık contains a warm minced meat filling. İmam Bayıldı is prepared without meat with plenty of onions, tomatoes and olive oil.
Modern varieties are rarely bitter, but the short salting spices the eggplant and dries its surface for more even roasting.
Eggplant and filling can be prepared separately one day before. Fill before eating, pour in sauce and bake completely.
They give way significantly at light pressure and can be opened without resistance. Still firm aubergines do not become creamy even after baking.
Turkish rice or bulgur pilaf and natural yoghurt complement the juicy oven dish without competing with the strong filling.
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