One of my absolute favorite comfort foods is the Iranian eggplant dish from the local restaurant chain Shiraz. I’ve all but begged for the recipe, but I’ve been told it is a family secret and they won’t give it up. After researching the dish with Iranian friends, cookbooks and websites, this is the closest I’ve come to matching their dish. While it is not an exact reproduction, it is nonetheless delicious, and a great recipe when eggplant production in my garden is full on. The dish is good hot, room temp or cold, stuffed in a pita for a breakfast sandwich, as a side dish, or a main vegetarian entrée. You can cook the eggplant in the oven, but I prefer the slight smokiness they develop from being cooked slowly on the grill. I also cook the eggplant when I’ve got a lot on hand, and freeze in pint portions so I can quickly make this or baba ghanoush in the winter.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 8
- 6 eggs
- 2 large eggplants (about 3 pounds total)
- 6 large tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- ½ teaspoon smoky paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup (or more, to taste) chopped cilantro (optional, but highly recommended)
- Tzatiki sauce, cooked rice (optional serving suggestions)
Instructions
- Heat oven or gas grill to 400°. Prick eggplants all over. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 60 minutes or until very tender. Rotate them frequently, and let the skin get fully charred. Remove them from the heat and let them rest for about 10 minutes. When they have cooled, remove the skins and discard.
- Mash the cooked pulp with a fork and set aside. Remove skins from tomatoes if desired; coarsely chop tomatoes and set aside.
- Break eggs into a bowl and add garlic, turmeric, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and whip until frothy. Heat a large skillet with 4 tablespoons oil. Add eggs and cook until your desired level of firmness for scrambled eggs. Remove eggs to serving dish.
- Add remaining oil to pan, heat to shimmering. Add eggplant and tomatoes, season with remaining salt and pepper. Stir and cook until liquid is mostly evaporated. Return eggs to pan, gently stir into the vegetables until thoroughly mixed in. Remove to serving dish, serve immediately, or let cool and refrigerate for up to three days.
- Can be gently reheated or served cold or at room temperature.
