Islim kebab

Name: Islim kebab
Ingredients: 3 long eggplants; 4 green peppers; 2 tomatoes; 200 g minced meat; 3-4 slices of bread; 1 egg; 2-3 cloves of garlic; pepper; paprika; salt; tomato juice (or broth and warm water)

Meat - Islim kebab by Gianina A. - Recipia

Islim kebabi is prepared from fried eggplants, small meatballs made from minced meat and fresh vegetables, all baked in tomato sauce. The eggplants are cut lengthwise and need to be soaked enough to be folded without breaking. The meatballs can be fried in oil or browned in the oven on a greased tray. Finally, the dish stays in the oven for about 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to combine with the eggplants and meat. Quick info Total time: not specified in the original recipe; depends on the time needed to prepare the eggplants and meatballs Preparation time: not specified Cooking time: approximately 20 minutes in the oven at 200°C, plus the time for frying or browning the ingredients Servings: number not specified; depends on the size of the eggplants and meatballs Difficulty: medium Recipe type: Turkish baked dish with eggplants, minced meat, and tomato sauce Ingredients 3 long eggplants 4 green peppers 2 tomatoes 200 g minced meat 3-4 slices of bread crust 1 egg 2-3 cloves of garlic Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste Paprika, to taste Oil, for frying or greasing the tray Tomato juice, enough to cover the dish in the tray For the sauce, diluted tomato paste with warm water can also be used. Preparation method 1. Prepare the meatball mixture Put the minced meat in a bowl and add the bread crust, egg, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix the ingredients well until evenly distributed. Form meatballs of suitable size to be wrapped in the slices of eggplant. The original recipe does not specify an exact size, but it is important that they are not too large, so the eggplants can completely wrap around them. 2. Cook the meatballs The meatballs can be fried in oil until browned or placed in a greased tray and browned in the oven. In both cases, they need to develop a bit of crust before assembling the dish. If you choose the oven option, use a greased tray with oil, as mentioned in the basic recipe. The meatballs do not need to be fully cooked at this stage, as they will continue to cook in the oven with the sauce. 3. Prepare the eggplants Peel the eggplants and cut them lengthwise into thin enough slices to be folded. Fry the slices in oil until they soften. Remove the eggplants onto paper towels to drain excess oil. This step also helps in easier handling. If the slices remain hard, they will break when you try to wrap the meatballs. 4. Prepare the vegetables for decoration Slice the tomatoes. The green peppers can be cut into suitable pieces to be placed on top of each eggplant packet. In the original recipe, a slice of tomato and one of pepper are used for each wrapped preparation. Depending on the size of the meatballs and the final number of pieces, you may have leftovers or need to divide the vegetables according to size. 5. Assemble islim kebabi Place two slices of eggplant one on top of the other, in a plus shape. Put a meatball in the center, then lift the edges of the slices and fold them over the meat. On top of each packet, place a slice of tomato and a piece of pepper. Secure everything in the middle with a toothpick. This keeps the eggplants snug around the meatball and holds the vegetables on top during baking. Continue in the same way with the remaining meatballs and eggplant slices. Place the packets next to each other in a tray, so they do not unfold. 6. Add the tomato sauce Mix the tomato juice with salt, pepper, and paprika. If using tomato paste, dilute it with warm water until you get a sufficiently fluid sauce. Pour the sauce into the tray, over and among the eggplant packets. The exact amount is not specified in the recipe, so use enough to have sauce at the bottom of the tray and to moisten the dish during baking. 7. Bake the dish Put the tray in the preheated oven at 200°C and leave it for about 20 minutes. During this time, the sauce heats up and penetrates among the eggplants, and the meatballs cook together with the other ingredients. Remove the toothpicks before serving or warn those eating to remove them. They are easy to forget in the eggplant packets. Why I make the recipe often It is a hearty dish but not complicated in structure. The meatballs can be prepared while the eggplants are cooking, and the assembly is quite quick once the ingredients are ready. Additionally, the tomato sauce helps the dish remain juicy, even if the eggplants were fried beforehand. Islim kebabi is also useful when you want to use eggplants in a more filling dish than a simple side. It can be placed directly in the tray and is easier to portion once it cools down a bit. Tips The eggplant slices should be fried until softened, not just browned on the surface. If they are not flexible, they will break when folded. Drain the eggplants on paper towels after frying. The excess oil will mix with the sauce and can make the dish heavy. The meatballs should be formed small enough to be completely covered by two slices of eggplant. If they are too large, the edges will not overlap well. Place the packets tightly in the tray. They will hold better wrapped and will not unfold as easily during baking. Substitutions Tomato juice can be replaced with diluted tomato paste mixed with warm water. The seasonings for the sauce remain the same: salt, pepper, and paprika. The bread crust is used in the meatball mixture along with the egg and minced meat. The recipe does not indicate another substitute, so it is not recommended to modify this part if you want to keep the original texture. Variations The meatballs can be browned in the oven instead of being fried in oil. For this version, a greased tray with oil is used. The eggplants are fried as described here. It is important that they are cooked until softened, regardless of the method chosen later for the meatballs. The amount of sauce can be adjusted depending on how juicy you want the dish, but the base remains tomato juice or diluted tomato paste with warm water. Serving ideas Islim kebabi is served warm, directly from the tray, after it has rested a bit for the sauce to stabilize. You can place one packet on each plate or serve it together with the tomato sauce from the tray. It is a filling dish due to the meatballs and eggplants, so it does not need many sides. If you wish, you can add more sauce to the plate. Frequently asked questions Can the meatballs be baked instead of fried? Yes. The meatballs can be browned in the oven on a greased tray. The recipe allows both options: frying in oil or browning in the oven. Why do the eggplant slices break when folded? They were probably not fried enough and did not soften. The slices need to be flexible before assembly. Also, do not cut them too thin, as they can break more easily when lifting the edges. Can I use tomato paste instead of tomato juice? Yes. The paste should be mixed with warm water to get a more fluid sauce, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika. When do I add the tomato and pepper? After you have wrapped the meatball in the two slices of eggplant. Place a slice of tomato and one of pepper on top, then secure the packet with a toothpick. How much tomato sauce should I use? The recipe does not specify an exact amount. Pour enough sauce to cover the bottom of the tray and reach among the packets. The dish should cook in the sauce, not be completely drowned in liquid. Nutritional values The values below are estimates for the entire amount of the dish and can vary greatly depending on the type of meat, the amount of oil absorbed by the eggplants, and the amount of tomato juice used. Calories: approximately 2,100-2,800 kcal for the entire tray Protein: approximately 75-95 g Carbohydrates: approximately 180-250 g Fats: approximately 100-170 g The largest difference is due to the oil used for frying the eggplants and meatballs. If they absorb more oil, the energy value of the dish increases considerably. Since the number of servings is not specified in the original recipe, the values per serving cannot be calculated exactly without determining the number of packets served. Storage and reheating Store islim kebabi in the refrigerator, in a covered container, after it has cooled. Because the dish contains cooked meat and tomato sauce, it is better not to leave it at room temperature for long periods. It can be reheated in the oven, in the same tray or in a suitable dish, until completely heated. You can also reheat it in portions, with a little sauce from the tray on top, to prevent the eggplants from drying out. The dish is best fresh or reheated once; the texture of the eggplants can soften if left too long in the sauce.

Islim kebab

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