Mirza Ghassemi

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Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Category

Lunch, Dinner

Ingredients (please include quantities/weights)

• 2 large eggplants, cut into half
• 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tsp turmeric
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Olive oil

Instructions/Steps

Cut eggplants into half.

Grill them in the oven or on the gas stove (flame on low heat) until blackened.

If the stove flames are too high, the surface of the eggplant burns but the flesh remains raw.

When cool enough to touch, remove the burnt crispy skin and chop finely and set aside.

Put a good drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and slowly fry chopped eggplants for 10-15 minutes stirring frequently.

Add chopped or blended tomatoes and chopped garlic to the fried eggplants.

Sprinkle turmeric and season with salt and pepper.

Gently stir all ingredients and cook for further 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.

Then crack the eggs and pour into the aubergine mixture.

Stir well until blended and cook for 3-4 minutes.

The eggs can be scrambled or fried separately and served with eggplants and tomatoes.

Now Mirza Ghasemi is ready.

Serve this beautiful eggplant dish warm with flat naan bread or rice.

Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days.

Preparation Tips / Special Notes

This recipe works much better if you blister and slowly burn the aubergine over a naked flame. A bbq fish / skewers holder (that looks like a small metal net tennis racket) is very handy as you can hold the aubergine in place to achieve even cooking all round. I find that grated garlic is the best for this dish.

I love the idea that this recipe would be in a cookbook celebrating diversity. I was born in Hong Kong and moved to Ayr (near our Prestwick site) when I was ten. University and work in England followed until two years ago when I returned to Scotland to work at SPIRIT (Prestwick). Settling back in after all these years - I found Rozina celebrating Persian culture through cooking lessons at her home in Ayr! She taught me this wonderful dish. As COVID times demand isolation for so many of us, I am glad that I can still enjoy (and share with you) this Persian dish. You can also find others on her website: www.rozinaspersiankitchen.com

We can't go on holiday very easily - so best bring the holiday home via the dinner plate!

Enjoy!