Betinjan Meh-shi..... Mood= Stuffed

I think i should be doing a month of aubergene, as here is yet another dish that makes the aubergene the star of the show. This dish is called Betinjan Meh-shi, which literally means "stuffed aubergene". This dish can be made with either lebanese courgettes, or auberegenes, or both if you fancy it. But i am not a big fan of courgettes, as i find them quite tasteless and watery. Aubergenes have this smokey flavour and deepeness to it that turns any dish into something more.....

So this is another recipe from my mother, who is away and like i mentioned before i always cook foods that she makes when she is not here. It makes me feel a little closer to her and also the countless phonecalls i have to make to make sure i do this right.... And she loves it. She gets so passionate about telling me the recipe and gets her sisters involved,so when i ask her about measurments for salt or a spice, it turns into a huge discussion with her sisters about who puts more of this and that and in the end it all boils down to what she says.... well for me anyway.

So i came home the other day and decided that this was for dinner and i prepared it in advance and left it till it was ready to eat. Something you can do to save time for later if you are feeling busy or tired.

I usually make 2 aubergenes per person, but the aubergenes are quite big here in the uk, so you make the decision...

Recipe:

4 Aubergenes
300g lamb/beef mince
1 cup of basmati rice
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon
10 tomatoes
3 Tablespoons of tomato puree
Water to cover

Method:

• Cut the top off the aubergenes

• Remove the insides of the aubergene, but make sure not to puncture the outside.

• Mix the meat with the rice and season with salt, pepper and cinnamon. Do not hesitate with seasoning as you will need it to flavour well, otherwise you will end up with a very bland dish.

• Fill the aubergenes up but do not force the rice/meat mixture in. Tap it gently on the base to let it settle, and do not fill all the way to the top. Remember the rice has to grow inside.

• Chop and whiz your tomatoes in a blender and then put in a deep pan and let simmer. Add the tomato paste, and then add the aubergenes.

• Make sure they are at least 3/4 coated with the tomato sauce and if not, add water . 
• I love the way they resemble whales swimming in a lava coloured ocean bubbling inderneath them.....

• Bring to the boil and keep it on high for about 15 minutes, then bring the temperature down.

• After about an hour in total, remove the aubergenes from the pan and serve, drizzling the tomato sauce all over and serve with green bell peppers and chilli.

Information about cinnamon -

• It had a reputation for curing the common cold

• It is used to treat diarrhea and stomach pains

• High in antioxident activity

• Has a great pharmacological effect on type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance

• It is also used as an aphrodesiac

• Last but not least, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon has the same amount of antixoidant as a cup of pommegranate juice and half a cup of blueberry juice. Pretty impressive.

You will defintiely feel stuffed after this!!!! But in a good way....