Vegan Karniyarik - Turkish Stuffed Eggplants

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Serves 8.

This recipe is very much an adaptation of the traditional Turkish dish. Usually, Karniyarik would contain spiced ground lamb or beef. However, substituting the meat for a protein-rich grain such as quinoa and keeping the same spices and stuffing technique turns this into a delicious vegan meal.

I recently made this as a side dish for a large pre-Christmas family get together and I feel like this recipe is perfectly suited for that kind of occasion. You can easily scale it up or down depending on how many people you need to feed and the exotic flavours and colours serve as a welcome contrast to the traditional christmas offering.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggplants, cut in half lengthways, 
• 1 cup quinoa, 
• 1 onion, finely diced, 
• 1 red pepper, finely diced, 
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced, 
• 3 green onions, roughly chopped, 
• 1 tbsp lightly toasted cumin seeds, 
• 3 tsp ground coriander, 
• 1 1/2tsp smoked paprika, 
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes, 
• 1/2 tsp allspice, 
• 1 tbsp dried oregano, 
• 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, 
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, 
• 2 tbsp tomato paste, 
• 3 tbsp olive oil, 
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds, 
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped, 
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped (reserve some for garnish), 
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped, 
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, 
• 1/2 a red pepper and 1/2 a green pepper, thinly sliced (for garnish), 
• 2 tbsp sumac (for garnish), 

Method:

• Cut eggplants in half and add a few pinches of salt to the exposed sides. This will draw some of the moisture from them which will help them to cook. Leave for 20 minutes to draw out moisture and then pat dry with a clean tea towel.
• Add 1 cup of quinoa to a small pot along with 2 cups of water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until the quinoa is soft and all the water has been absorbed. Let cool.
• Place a large pan over medium high heat with 2 tbsp of oil.
• Once hot, place as many eggplants as can fit on the pan, cut side down, along with 2 tbsp of water.
• Cover the pan and let cook for 10 to 12 minutes, adding a tbsp or so of water whenever the pan looks dry. This will help to steam the eggplants.
• Once the eggplants are slightly soft and have developed a dark char on their surface, remove from the heat and let cool, repeating the process until all of the eggplant halves are cooked.
• In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, onion, pepper, garlic, green onions, cumin seeds, ground coriander, paprika, chilli flakes, allspice, oregano, tamari, lemon juice, pistachios, tomato paste, olive oil, sesame seeds, coriander, parsley, mint, and half of the breadcrumbs.
• Mix thoroughly to combine, making sure that all of the ingredients and spices have been incorporated. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Once the eggplants are cool enough to handle, place them face up on a baking sheet and using a fork, scrape down the middle of them, lengthwise, creating a small trench in which to place the filling.
• Add an even amount of filling to each, topping with some additional breadcrumbs for crispiness.
• Drizzle with olive oil and place thin slices of pepper on top in a decorative pattern (this is purely for presentation but it is traditional for the dish).
• Place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to 200 degrees celsius and cook for 40 minutes or until the eggplants are very soft.
• Garnish with a few pinches of sumac and some chopped parsley.
• Serve while still warm.