Makdous Stuffed Eggplants

Makdous is stuffed with small size eggplants soaked in olive oil, it is part of Middle Eastern cuisine (Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq). These eggplants are usually tiny, tangy, and stuffed with walnuts (like to use peanuts if I do not have walnuts), red pepper, garlic, olive oil, cilantro, green onions, salt, and black pepper. Makdous is usually prepared by middle Eastern households in the fall to be eaten in the winter, they are usually eaten during breakfast, supper, as side dishes, or even as a snack. You can also cut the Makdous into small pieces and use them in a sandwich or you can be made them into a salad by adding your favorite vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 clean 64 oz glass jar
• 1 lb of relatively small eggplant
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 1 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 cup green onions chopped
• 1 long hot pepper chopped
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup ground walnut or peanuts
• Salt as preferred
• 8 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 tablespoon ginger crushed
• 1 tablespoon Cayenne
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• olive oil as needed

Instruction

In a big pot add water and place on high heat after the water boils add the eggplant in boiling water until softened. Then remove the eggplants and allow them to cool off.

Slice the eggplant from the blossom end to 3/4 inch from the stem end. Then completely drain the eggplant from the water. Add the eggplant into a strainer cover with parchment paper then add something heavy on the top of the eggplant to drain the water out.

In a big bowl add cilantro, green onions, long hot pepper, black pepper, ground walnut or peanuts, Salt, garlic, ginger, Cayenne, cumin, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Mix all the ingredients well

Divide the mixture by the number of eggplants and add the mixture inside each eggplant and place them in a clean glass jar and add the olive oil and salt as need it to fill the jar. Cover tightly with a lead and leave at room temperature overnight.

Keep the jar in a cool spot or refrigerate until rich flavor develops usually 7 to 10 days after use keep in the refrigerator. Enjoy as a side dish for many of your favorite meals.

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