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Imam Bayildi

Silky eggplants stuffed with sweet, jammy onion and tomato, braised in olive oil until meltingly tender.

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Tender stuffed eggplants with green caps, jammy onion-tomato filling and shallow reddish-brown sauce in a serving dish, AI-generated imageAI-generated image
At a glance
  • 1000 geggplants
  • 450 gripe tomatoes
  • 300 gonions
  • 45 golive oil
  • 45 glemon juice
Serves 4

Imam bayildi is a classic Turkish dish of whole eggplants slit open, stuffed with a filling of slowly cooked onions, tomatoes and garlic, and braised in olive oil. The name is usually translated as 'the imam fainted', and there are several stories about why. It is an olive oil dish (zeytinyagli), so it is meant to be eaten warm or at room temperature rather than piping hot.

It is found across Turkey and in neighboring countries, served as a meze, a side, or a main course with bread and a simple salad. Cooks make many variations, with different herbs, peppers or a little spice.

This version salts and fries the eggplants whole, so the flesh turns creamy and the skin strips hold everything together. The pocket is cut only after frying, while the eggplants are still warm in the braising pan, so the edges stay neat and no raw cut surface soaks up oil. Lemon juice and water in the pan keep the filling juicy. Plan on about 2 hours 30 minutes in all, including a 30 minute salting wait and a 30 minute rest at the end; the filling cooks while the eggplants are salting. Frying in batches can add a few minutes. The result is rich but balanced, and it improves after a few hours of resting.

Imam Bayildi

Formula & Method
Servings
4
Units
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Ingredients

Eggplants

Filling

Braising liquid

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Preparation

  1. Step 016 min

    Peel the eggplants in lengthwise stripes, removing alternate strips of skin so they look striped. Leave the green caps and stems on. Prick each eggplant 4 or 5 times with a fork, in the peeled strips, so steam can escape during frying.

  2. Step 0230 min

    Rub the coarse salt over the outside of the whole eggplants. Set them on a tray and leave for 30 minutes, until beads of moisture appear on the surface. Make the filling during this wait.

  3. Step 03

    While the eggplants salt, heat the filling oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of the filling salt and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 12 minutes, until soft, sweet and lightly golden.

  4. Step 04

    Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells fragrant but is not browned.

  5. Step 05

    Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, sugar, the remaining filling salt and the black pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and jammy with very little liquid left. Stir in the parsley and remove from the heat.

  6. Step 063 min

    Rinse the salted eggplants briefly under cold water to remove the salt, then squeeze each gently in a towel and pat completely dry.

  7. Step 0715 min

    Heat the frying oil in a large, wide pan with a lid over medium heat to about 170 C / 340 F, or until a small piece of eggplant peel sizzles steadily when added. Fry the whole eggplants in a single layer, turning with tongs every 2 minutes or so, for 12 to 15 minutes total, until the peeled strips are golden, the skin is wrinkled and the eggplants feel soft when pressed gently with the tongs. If the pan is crowded, fry in two batches, which adds a few minutes.

  8. Step 081 min

    Transfer the eggplants to a plate. Leave about 1 tablespoon of the frying oil in the pan and carefully pour off the rest into a heatproof container.

  9. Step 096 min

    Set the eggplants snugly side by side in the pan and let them cool for 5 minutes, until you can handle them safely with a towel. With a sharp knife, cut a lengthwise slit in each eggplant from just below the cap to about 1.5 cm (half an inch) from the bottom, cutting about two thirds of the way through. Do not cut through the ends or all the way to the base. Gently press each slit open with a spoon to make a pocket.

  10. Step 103 min

    Divide the filling among the eggplants, pressing it into the pockets and mounding any extra on top.

  11. Step 113 min

    Mix the lemon juice and water and pour it carefully around the eggplants, not over the filling. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

  12. Step 1235 min

    Cover, reduce the heat to low so the liquid barely bubbles (about 95 C / 200 F), and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, since the eggplants are already fried and soft. They are done when a knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance and the liquid has reduced to a glossy, oily sauce about 1 cm (half an inch) deep. If it dries out earlier, add 2 tablespoons of hot water.

  13. Step 1335 min

    Uncover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more if the sauce is still thin. Turn off the heat and let the dish stand in the pan for at least 30 minutes before serving. Spoon the pan juices over the top.

Kitchen notes

  • Serve warm or at room temperature, with crusty bread, plain yogurt or a simple tomato and cucumber salad. The flavor is rounder after the dish has rested for an hour or two.
  • Cool leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, then refrigerate (4 C / 40 F or colder) in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently or eat cold.
  • To make ahead, cook fully, cool within 2 hours, refrigerate overnight, and bring to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
  • The oil poured off after frying is not reused here; let it cool, then discard it responsibly, never down the sink.
  • Cut the pockets only after frying and let the eggplants cool for a few minutes first; the flesh is very hot inside and the steam can scald.
  • For a slightly different flavor, add a pinch of ground allspice or a few chopped fresh dill sprigs to the filling. Many cooks also add 1 small diced green pepper (about 100 g) with the garlic, or lay thin tomato slices on top of each eggplant before braising.
  • If your eggplants are much larger or smaller than 250 g, adjust the frying and braising times and check for a knife sliding in easily.

Diet and allergens

Suitable for: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.

Contains: none of the allergens we track (sesame, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, egg, gluten, soy, celery, mustard, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, lupin).

Labels come from the ingredient list by fixed rules. If you cook for someone with an allergy, check the labels of packaged ingredients such as stock, spice blends, tahini and bread, since brands differ. How labels work.

Frequently asked questions

Why do you salt the eggplants first?

Salting draws out some moisture and softens the flesh, so the eggplants cook to a creamy texture and take up less oil when fried. Rinse and dry them well afterwards so the dish is not too salty.

Why fry the eggplants whole and cut the pocket afterwards?

Whole eggplants fry evenly without oil seeping into raw cut flesh, and the slit edges do not tear when you turn them. Cutting the pocket once they are cooked and slightly cooled gives a neat opening for the filling.

Can I bake imam bayildi instead of simmering it on the stove?

Yes. Place the stuffed eggplants in a snug baking dish with the lemon water, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 180 C / 350 F for 30 to 40 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to reduce the juices.

What is the difference between imam bayildi and karniyarik?

Both are stuffed eggplants, but karniyarik is filled with a spiced ground meat mixture and served hot, while imam bayildi has a meat-free onion and tomato filling and is cooked in olive oil.

References and sources

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