Eggplant Boats-(Karniyarik)

Commonly known in Turkey as karniyarik, this delicious dish requires fresh rather small size eggplants.  If we eliminate the deep-frying portion and sear the eggplants, we can enjoy the taste this savory dish without worrying about unhealthy effects of frying.
 
Ingredients:
 
5 midsize eggplants
1/4 C olive oil (for searing the eggplant)
1 Lb. ground round (beef)
2 midsize yellow onion
2Tbsps. Olive oil to sauté the onion
2 big size tomato
2 Tsps. salt
2 Tsps. Black pepper
1 Tsps. red chili pepper flakes
2 Tsps.  Turmeric
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp. pomegranate juice
 1/2 C minced parsley
 
Making:
Peel the eggplants in stripes. Brush the surface with olive oil generously.
Heat the remained olive oil in an iron cast pan and scorch the out side of the eggplants without burning.
Transfer them into the glass-baking dish and apply a long slit vertical along the upper side while eggplants are still warm.
Open the slits wider stretching outwards with the help of the fork from both sides. Set aside.
 
Heat 2 Tbsp.  Olive oil in an iron cast pan, add diced onions and sauté until they get translucent.
Add minced meat and sauté until meat cooks.
Add salt, pepper, red pepper, turmeric, tomato paste, minced garlic continue sautéing few more minutes.
Peel both tomatoes pretty thick skin, set the peeled skin aside to be used as a lid.
Diced the inner part of tomatoes and add into the sautéed meat filling.
Add pomegranate sauce and minced parsley.
Take off the heat set a side.
 
Fill in the eggplants with meat filing, cover with tomato skins
Place in the Pyrex dish and pour over 1/2 of water
Bake in 350C(180F) for 25 minutes.
 
10/5/2020

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