Recipe: Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients

3–4 medium eggplant
1 lb ground lamb, ground beef, ground turkey, ground plant-based meat, or cooked lentils
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cumin
¾ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon sumac
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 cups cooked basmati rice
¼ cup fresh dill
¼ cup fresh mint
¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Scoop out the eggplant flesh, leaving about ½ inch thickness on all sides, and season the insides with salt and pepper.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large pan, sauté the ground meat and onions until fragrant, then add the diced eggplant and garlic until the eggplant becomes translucent.
Season the mixture with salt and spices, add fresh tomatoes, and cook until the tomatoes break down.
Combine the meat mixture with cooked rice, fresh herbs, and optional pine nuts.
In the same pan, prepare the tomato broth by heating broth, tomato paste, and spices.
Fill the eggplant with the mixture and nestle them in the tomato broth.
Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes until the eggplant is tender, then uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until golden.
Garnish with fresh dill, mint, and remaining pine nuts before serving.

Servings

Calories

405

Total fat

22.3g

Total carbohydrates

34.5g

Total protein

18.9g

Sodium

671.5mg

Cholesterol

55.3mg