HOT STUFF! CYPRIOT STUFFED AUBERGINES AND MINTY CUMIN YOGHURT

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Hot Stuff! Cypriot Stuffed Aubergines and Minty Cumin Yoghurt image

Not for the faint hearted, these SPICY aubergines are stuffed with lentils, making them a wonderful vegetarian main meal or appetiser. You can add minced meat (ground beef) if you wish, but I find that the Puy Lentils used in this dish have quite enough "body" already! These are based on a Turkish recipe called Imam Bayildi - but I have "pepped" them up a bit by adding Cayenne pepper, chili & the lentils! Do not forget the essential finishing touch - the minted cumin yoghurt, it "cuts" through the heat of the cayenne pepper. Serve these with a crispy salad and crusty bread.

Provided by French Tart

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 1h10m

Yield 6 Stuffed Aubergine Halves, 3-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 18

3 aubergines, leaf ends trimmed
200 g puy lentils
750 ml water
2 -4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, to taste
1 -2 tablespoon olive oil, to taste
2 onions, finely chopped
4 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped or 400 g canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 -2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt
ground black pepper
500 ml natural Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
mint sprig

Steps:

  • Pre-heat oven to 250C/495F/Gas 9.
  • Grease a large oven to table dish - or a roasting dish with a little of the olive oil.
  • Rinse the lentils under cold running water. Drain and place in a saucepan with the water and garlic. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. The consistency should be thick because this will be stuffed in the aubergines.
  • Cut the aubergines in half lengthways & bake them in the pre-heated oven for about 20 - 30 minutes. Leave them to cool and scoop out most of the flesh and keep it aside for stuffing, leaving an inch thick border to form a shell.
  • Whilst the aubergines are cooking, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions, tomatoes and fry gently for 5 minutes. Chop the scooped aubergine flesh and add to the pan with spices. Cook gently for another 5 minutes. Now add the lentils, tomato puree,all the spices & salt and pepper to taste.
  • Spoon the mixture into the shells. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Make the minted cumin yoghurt whilst the aubergines are baking; add the cumin and mint to the yoghurt & mix well. Put it into an attractive dish and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
  • Serve the aubergines hot or cold, topped with the minted cumin yoghurt and an extra sprinkling of cayenne pepper if you need an extra "kick"!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 323.8, Fat 7.1, SaturatedFat 1, Sodium 55.8, Carbohydrate 60, Fiber 26.6, Sugar 21.9, Protein 14.7

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