A Syrian Dish: Stuffed Aubergine Baked in a Tomato Sauce – veganised

baked stuffed aubergines

This is my vegan take on a traditional Syrian Dish – Stuffed Aubergines, Baked in a Tomato Sauce.

Cooking for Peace.

AUBERGINES, STUFFED WITH GARLICKY MUSHROOMS, BAKED IN A TOMATO SAUCE.  SERVED WITH COUS-COUS.

Serves 2

stuffed baked aubergines in tomato sauce

Ingredients:  

• 1 large aubergine
• 1tbs. salt
• 300gms. tomatoes
• 200gms. mushrooms
• half an onion
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 2 tbs.tomato puree
• 8o ml. water
• 5-6 tbs.olive oil
• dash of lemon juice
• pinch of sugar
• small pinch of salt
• 2-3 tbs. oregano – fresh or dried ( a bit more if fresh)
• 3tbs. breadcrumbs
• 1 tbs. nutritional yeast (optional)
• 120gms. cous-cous
• 250ml. boiling hot water

Method:

• Slice the aubergine in half, then make three incisions lengthwise into each half of the aubergine, so the aubergine flattens out a little, but the skin of the aubergine remains in one piece.
• Smother the aubergine flesh in I tbs. salt, and leave for half an hour.  This helps remove the bitter taste of the aubergine.
• After half an hour, wash the aubergine thoroughly, and pat dry with kitchen towel.
• Chop the mushrooms roughly, but fairly finely.

• 

  roughly chopped mushrooms

• Finely chop 1/2 onion.
• Crush three cloves of garlic.
• Prick the tomato skins in several places, and place them in a deep bowl and immerse them in boiling water for 10 mins.
• In a wide heavy pan, add 2 tbs. olive oil and place on a high heat.  Fry the aubergines  5 mins. each side.
• Press the aubergines down from time to time with a frying spatula.
• Remove aubergines from the heat, and place in a lightly-oiled ceramic oven-proof dish: approx 24cm x 24 cm.
• 

  frying the aubergines –

  

  place aubergines in ceramic oven dish
• Remove the skins from the tomatoes, and thoroughly mash them with a fork or blitz them briefly in a blender.
• Transfer tomato pulp to a small saucepan and add tomato puree, dash of lemon juice, pinch of sugar + small pinch of salt, and 1 tbs. dried oregano + 80 ml. water.
• Warm through.  5 mins. Then remove from heat.  Set aside.
• On a high heat, using a wide heavy pan, add 3 tbs. olive oil.
• Fry chopped onions – 3 mins.
• Add mushrooms – fry – 5 mins.
• Add 3 garlic cloves, crushed – fry further 2 mins.
• Spoon garlicky mushrooms on to the aubergine halves.
• Spoon tomato sauce over and around stuffed aubergines.
• 

  spoon the fried garlicky mushrooms over the aubergines

  

  spoon the tomato sauce over and around the stuffed aubergines

  

  sprinkle the dish with herbed breadcrumbs
• Mix 3 tbs. breadcrumbs, 2 tbs. oregano and 1 tbs. nutritional yeast together, and sprinkle over aubergines.
• Place in a pre-heated oven Gas Mk6 / 200C – 30 mins.
• After the aubergines have been baking for 15 mins. Place 120gms. cos-cous in a deep bowl, and pour on 250ml. boiling water.  Cover and leave for 15 mins.
• Fluff up the cous-cous with a fork when ready to serve.
• And that’s it.

Serve piping hot.

baked stuffed aubergines

stuffed baked aubergines – served with cous-cous

stuffed baked aubergines – a traditional syrian dish – veganised

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Peace.

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