Karnıyarık (Turkish Split Eggplant with Ground Beef)

Karnıyarık means ‘split belly’ in Turkish, a fitting name for eggplants that are fried, slit down the middle, and stuffed with a garlicky ground beef and tomato filling. It’s a staple of home cooking across Turkey, usually served with rice.

Ingredients

• For the eggplants
• 4 medium eggplants, peeled in stripes
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Salt
• For the filling
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tomatoes, diced, plus 1 tomato sliced for topping
• 1 green pepper, diced, plus extra rings for topping
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Salt the eggplants
   Sprinkle the peeled eggplants with salt and let them sit for 20 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.
2. Fry the eggplants
   Shallow-fry the eggplants in oil, turning until softened and lightly golden on all sides. Drain on paper towels.
3. Make the filling
   Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
4. Add vegetables
   Stir in the diced tomatoes, diced green pepper, tomato paste, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
5. Split and stuff
   Arrange the eggplants in a baking dish and slice a pocket down the center of each. Spoon the filling generously into each slit.
6. Top and bake
   Top each eggplant with a tomato slice and a pepper ring. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling.
7. Serve
   Serve hot, with rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.