Eggplant and Lamb in Tomato Sauce (Yakhnet Batinjen)

Step 1

Start by cooking the lamb which may take up to 2 hours to be really tender. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium high heat and brown the meat. After 3 or 4 minutes stir in onion, garlic and green pepper. Stir fry for another 3 or 4 minutes then add the tomato paste followed by fresh tomatoes, spices and salt. Add water up to the level of the meat and let it boil. Once it has boiled, lower the heat to let the ragout simmer until the meat is tender and a nice sauce has been formed.

Step 2

In the meantime, after washing and peeling the eggplants zebra-style, cut them into cubes then put them in a sieve placed on a bowl and sprinkle them with salt. This will allow the eggplants to shed their water, and bitterness if any; salting also helps to reduce the soaking up of oil when fried.

Step 3

Rinse the salt, drain then pat dry the eggplant cubes before frying. If you are frying in an air-fryer, you only need to cover the cubes with 1 large tbsp of olive oil. A bit more of oil if you shallow-fry (you really don’t need to deep-fry).

Step 4

When the ragout is ready, stir in the fried eggplant and cook everything together for approximately 5 or 7 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve with rice and a side dish of greens.