Persian - Sweet and Sour Stuffed Eggplants

[Olga Drozd]

Persian - Sweet and Sour Stuffed Eggplants

A Persian filling of meat and rice with yellow split peas is cooked in a sweet ad sour sauce and served hot with plain rice.

12 small (3 1/2 to 4 1/2-inch) or 6 medium (6-inch) long and slim eggplants
3 to 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
2/3 cup wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron

FOR THE FILLING:

1/3 cup yellow split peas
1/3 cup rice
Salt to taste
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound lean ground lamb or beef
Pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3 scallions, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of grated nutmeg

Cut off the stem ends of the eggplants, and hollow them using an apple corer or a special tool for hollowing vegetables (you find them in Arab markets).  Push the corer into the pulp as far as possible, making sure that you don't break through the other end, twisting it to loosen the pulp and pull it out.  Repeat to make a reasonably large hole.  (Use up the discarded flesh for another dish.)

Prepare the filling.  Cook the yellow split peas and the rice in unsalted water for about 18 minutes, adding salt towards the end, when the split peas have softened. Drain the split peas and rice.

Saute the onion in the oil until soft.  Put the onion and the rest of the filling ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well, and work with your hand until thoroughly blended.  Stuff the eggplants with this mixture so that they are almost full.

Pack the eggplants in a large pan and arrange side by side, in 2 or 3 layers on top of each other.  Barely cover with water mixed with 3 or 4 Tablespoons oil.  Simmer gently, covered, for about 1/2 hour.  Mix 2/3 cup vinegar with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron, pour over the vegetables, and continue to cook gently, covered, for another 1/2 hour.