Full recipe for IMAM BAYILDI: Ingredients:For Pre-cooking1 kg (7 medium-sized) eggplants2-3 L water1 tbsp saltFor the Stuffing400 g (1 large) onion140 g (~7-8) garlic cloves500 g tomatoes250 g sweet green peppers2 tbsp sugar1/2 tbsp saltFor Cooking1/2 cup olive oil1 cup water2 tsp sugar1 tsp saltDirections:PREPARING THE EGGPLANTSWash the eggplantsClean the meaty parts of the green stem and calyxMake sure the woody core of the stem remains for a good presentationSkin the eggplants lengthwise into black and white stripsThen, make deep cuts into the 4 white strips for stuffingPRE-COOKINGBoil 2-3 L of water with 1 tbsp of salt in a pot Boil the eggplants for 5-7 minutes, until they become pliable Submerge the softened eggplants into cold water to quickly cool them downThen, squeeze their excess water and set aside(*)The traditional recipe suggests frying the eggplants. Boiling has recently proven to be better for digestion.PREPARING THE STUFFFINGDiscard the skins of the garlic and onion, then wash themSlice the onion into ~0.5cm thick semi-circlesSlice the garlic cloves into thin piecesPlace the garlic and onion slices into a bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 tbsp of salt and 2 tbsp of sugar over them, then rub the mixture for 1 minute to soften the slicesWash the peppers, then discard their stems and seedsDivide lengthwise and slice into ~0.5cm piecesAdd to the Stuffing bowl To easily skin the tomatoes, submerge them into boiling water for 1 minute, then transfer into cold water to shock them Discard the skins of the tomatoes and slice them into ~0.5cm circles Add the tomatoes into the Stuffing bowlSTUFFING & FORMINGFill the 4 slots of each eggplant with the Stuffing. Make sure the Stuffing ingredients are distributed proportionally between the slots(*) Hold the stuffed slots of the eggplant in your palm to keep the Stuffing in placeStuffing the eggplants allows all the flavours and textures of the vegetables to blend together and enhance their individual characteristics...the result is fantastic!! Repeat this process to stuff all the eggplants Choose a wide and shallow pot to cook IMAM BAYILDI. This allows the stuffed eggplants to cook evenly without losing their form!Cover the bottom of the pot with the remaining Stuffing and nestle the eggplants on it to increase the taste!Drizzle 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1 cup of water over the eggplantsSprinkle 1 tsp of salt and 2 tsp of sugar over themCover the pot with a lid and place it on the stove at medium heat COOKINGWhen the water begins to boil, turn down the heat to the minimum setting, and simmer the IMAM BAYILDI for 60-70 minutes, until the eggplants become very soft and tender(!) Cooking time may change based on the size of eggplants. You should simmer them at least 60 minutes, however, if they are larger in size then you should consider 80-90 minutes of cooking. So, please check the softness of the eggplants for the right time. The meaty part of the eggplants should be very soft and tender like melt in your mouthOnce the cooking is done, turn off the stove and rest the IMAM BAYILDI for at least 3-4 hours or overnight to cool down completelyThen, serve warm or coldSERVINGIMAM BAYILDI is one of the best ways to cook eggplants to achieve maximum flavour without using heavy meats or sea productsThis delicate dish is a cold-served favourite for hot summer mealsIMAM BAYILDI combines tasteful summer vegetables into a single recipeNaturally, using the sun-ripened vegetables of Autumn amplifies the flavour of this dish!So, I recommend you try IMAM BAYILDI towards the end of summer when these vegetables are ripe!Enjoy the harmony of flavours: the bitterness of eggplants, sourness of tomatoes, and sweetness of onionsEnjoy the meaty texture of eggplants and the colourful stuffingPlease, enjoy this refreshing dish on joyful summer dinners! Enjoy the delicacy!For MORE DELICIOUS TURKISH recipes SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW the Fairies Cuisine Homemade Turkish Food Recipes on YouTube, link below:bit.ly/2vWDVZr