Stuffed Peppers and Eggplant

Stuffed Peppers and Eggplant

👥 8 servings 🍽️ main 🌍 Turkish

🥘 Ingredients

  • eggplants (Japanese)
    3
  • green bell peppers (1.5-2 lb)
    10
  • salt
  • onions (coarsely chopped)
    2-3
  • pine nuts (optional)
    3 tbsp
  • olive oil
    1.5 cups
  • rice (medium-grain, rinsed and drained)
    1.75 cups
  • tomatoes (halved, grated, peel removed)
    2
  • water (120 ml, tepid)
    1/2 cup
  • parsley (chopped)
    1 cup
  • dill leaves (optional)
    1/2 cup
  • mint (dried)
    1.5 tbsp
  • black pepper
    1.5 tsp
  • Istan

🍳 Cookware

  • knife
  • colander
  • heavy skillet
📝

In Turkish yalanci means "imitation" - or, literally, "liar". This meatless stuffed vegetable dish may rightly be called "imitation", since it appeared after the original version with meat in the filling. The Spanish prisoner of war Pedro raves about the meat version in his sixteenth-century manuscript, but no document mentions meatless stuffed peppers and eggplants until the nineteenth century. Coincidentally, dishes made with olive oil began to appear at the same time. Turkish bell peppers are light green and have very thin skins. They also have a delicate fragrance that can be destroyed if too many spices are added to the filling. Outside of Istanbul, the filling is seasoned only with black pepper. In Istanbul, however, cooks use currants, pine nuts, sugar, and spices. Restaurants generally do not add tomatoes (for fear that the filling they stuff will go bad too quickly); they make do with spices.

  1. 1
    # PREPARE VEGETABLES Cut the eggplants in half and hollow them out with a knife . Chop the removed eggplant flesh (lightly salted) and set aside.
    eggplants: 3 (Japanese)
  2. 2
    Cut the tops off the green bell peppers . Remove seeds and ribs. Save tops to use as lids.
    green bell peppers: 10 (1.5-2 lb)
  3. 3
    Place peppers and eggplant shells in a colander , sprinkle with salt , and let drain for ⏱️ 10 minutes . Rub to release more liquid, then turn upside down for another ⏱️ 5 minutes .
    salt
  4. 4
    # FILLING In a heavy skillet saute the onions and pine nuts in olive oil for ⏱️ 2-3 minutes , until translucent.
    onions: 2-3 (coarsely chopped), pine nuts: 3 tbsp (optional), olive oil: 1.5 cups
  5. 5
    Add rice and saute for ⏱️ 3 minutes over low heat.
    rice: 1.75 cups (medium-grain, rinsed and drained)
  6. 6
    Add tomatoes and stir thoroughly.
    tomatoes: 2 (halved, grated, peel removed)
  7. 7
    When tomato liquid is nearly absorbed, add water and cook for ⏱️ 3 minutes , until water is absorbed and rice is nearly al dente.
    water: 1/2 cup (120 ml, tepid)
  8. 8
    Squeeze excess juice from chopped eggplant flesh and add it to the skillet.
  9. 9
    Add parsley , dill leaves , and mint . Season with black pepper .
    parsley: 1 cup (chopped), dill leaves: 1/2 cup (optional), mint: 1.5 tbsp (dried), black pepper: 1.5 tsp
  10. 10
    If using, add Istan
    Istan