Imam bayildi with couscous and feta

Imam bayildi with couscous and feta

“Imam bayildi” is Turkish for “the priest has fainted”, and a very well-known Turkish aubergine dish. Usually the aubergines are scooped out and then stuffed, but as that takes longer, in this recipe I simply chop them. The original recipe also uses a lot of onion, which I don’t like. The characteristic spice in this dish is allspice, also known as Jamaica pepper. I serve this with maftoul (Palestinian or giant couscous) and feta and garnish with some lime wedges.

       • 675 kcal per person  

Ingredients

For two people:

  • Fresh ingredients and groceries
    • 1 large aubergine
    • 2 medium tomatoes
    • half a pack feta (Greek goat cheese)
    • 1 lime
    • 1 cup of maftoul (Palestinian or giant couscous)
  • From the store cupboard
    • a handful of pine kernels
    • 1 tablespoon ground allspice
    • some salt or soy sauce
    • optionally some sugar
    • some garlic oil
    • some olive oil (1 tablespoon) for frying

Preparation

  • Wash the aubergine and cut into slices of about half a cm thick.
  • Put the aubergine slices in a microwave pot with 2 tablespoons water and cook for 5 minutes at full power (900W), stir, then cook for 3 more minutes on full power.
  • Put the couscous in a microwave pot with 1.5 cups of water and a teaspoon soy sauce. Cook for 90 s at full power, then for about 10 minutes at 40%. It’s ready when almost all liquid has been absorbed. Fluff it up with a fork and add some lime juice and lime wedges (about half a lime).
  • Heat the oil in a deep pan. Fry the spices and the pine kernels for a few minutes over medium to low heat.
  • Add the finely chopped tomatoes and fry for a few more minutes, until the tomatoes start to soften.
  • Add the aubergines, juice of half a lime and maybe a pinch of sugar, and fry for a few more minutes at low heat
  • Serve with the couscous and feta.

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