Stuffed eggplant ~ Mihshi Batinjaan Orteh

Ingredients :

• 12 very small eggplants
• 5 cups Lenten stuffing
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 large tomatoes, finely sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt, to taste

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Scoop out eggplants being careful not to break the skin and soak the shell in salted water.
2. Moisten the stuffing with ½ cup water. Three-quarters fill the eggplants, allowing for rice expansion.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Place half the sliced tomatoes together with the garlic in layers in the bottom of the saucepan. Closely pack the eggplants in layers over the tomatoes. Sprinkle each layer lightly with salt. Place the remainder of the sliced tomatoes over top of the eggplants.
4. When the stuffed eggplant have been packed in the saucepan, take a heatproof plate and turn it upside-down over the top of the eggplant, pressing down firmly. Add enough water to cover the plate while it is under pressure.
5. Leave plate in place and cover saucepan securely. Bring to the boil, turn down heat and simmer very slowly until the eggplant and stuffing are tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened. For maximum flavor leave the eggplant to cool in the saucepan with the juices. Reheat before serving.
6. To serve, drain the juices from the saucepan. Turn the stuffed eggplant onto a larger platter and pour the juice over the top.