The Fainted Imam...oh no!

I was talking to my colleague on my brief visit to Turkeye and one of the topics was the food that I have for my dinner on the first night in Istanbul. The one that really make me drooling was stuffed aubergine called Imam Bayildi, one of the most celebrated of all Turkish dishes. A light, succulent and truly scrumptious dish – part of Turkey’s wide array of ‘zeytin yağlı’ (with olive oil) recipes. It is perfect for a snack, as part of a table of mezes (small plates or starters), or as an accompaniment to a full dinner.

...aaarrrggghhh...i almost fainted when tasted this dish...there are two versions: vegetarian and another one you can add minced meat/chicken...

Not only does it taste yummy, but it has a rich story to savour. Imam Bayildi literally means “The imam fainted”. It is said that an imam (Muslim priest) swooned with pleasure on tasting the dish. This is the story you will hear repeated right across Turkey. It may have medieval roots and usually eaten cold, fit the prescriptions of the dietetic theory of humors that was the basis for medical theory at that time. So, I was lucky not to faint when tasted the dish, which was really heaven! Heheheheheh...

Okay, i have cooked it just now and will be my lunch for tomorrow at the office. Best eaten with bread and i am going to have it with garlic & coriander nan bread and fresh lettuce salad...can't wait for tomorrow to taste my Iman Biyaldi!

...another aubergine dish, baked with mashed potatoes...yummy...and actually there are 160 dishes on aubergine alone!

...lamb patty baked with mashed potatoes...so delicious!

...stuffed tomatoes with minced meat...

...chicken stew...

...beef stew...

...accompanied by crusty bread that absorbed the flavour of extra virgin oil...uuummmmmppphhh...

...and washed down with this famous tea...hot apple tea...a sweet mixture aroma of yellow, red and green apples...heaven!

So here the recipe...

Imam Biyaldi

(serves 4-6 but for me only one heheheheh...)

You need these...

2 - 4 medium aubergines (eggplants) 2 medium yellow onions, chopped 150ml extra virgin olive oil, must be very virgin one! if no virgin not nice...hehehehe 2 garlic cloves, chopped 3 - 6 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped a cup of chopped fresh parsley salt and pepper to taste 2 teaspoons sugar a juice from one fresh lemon

So what to do...

Sauté the onions in a little extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic, tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook until mushy. Cut the stem ends from each aubergine. Make 3 lengthwise slits, almost from end to end, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes, after that wash and drain excess water. Spoon the onion mixture into each cavity of the aubergine. Arrange aubergines in a baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of extra virgin oil OR you can arrange the aubergine on the baking dish and layer with the onion mixture, make it two layers at least. Bake the covered dish in preheated moderate oven (350 F) for 40 minutes or you can slow cook for 60 minutes, or until tender. Serve hot or as they do in Turkey, cold with yogurt and fresh garden salad.

Enjoy! and make sure you don't faint...