Sheikh el Mahshi

Step 1

In a wide pan, sauté the onion in some cooking olive oil until golden

Step 2

Add the lamb beef mince and the spices (turmeric, paprika, 7 spice and dried coriander) and salt. Sauté for 10-15 minutes until the mince meat is well done

Step 3

Toast the pine nuts in a small non stick pan and add half to the mince meat

Step 4

Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato concentrate and water to a pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes then blitz with a hand blender until smooth and add salt to taste.

Step 5

Wash the eggplants and slit with a sharp knife on one side ¾ of the way through. Do not cut all the way through. Dab dry with a kitchen towel

Step 6

Heat up vegetable oil in a deep pan for frying. Add the eggplants and fry for 10-15 minutes, turning half way through until they start to change colour and are half done. Transfer to plate lined with kitchen towels to drain

Step 7

Line the eggplants in a baking pan. Using a fork, scrape around the insides of the eggplant so they pull apart and loosen. Season with a good sprinkling of salt

Step 8

Add half the tomato sauce to the mince meat, stir well and stuff the eggplants generously, mixing well with the eggplant mixture inside

Step 9

Heat the oven to 180C (350 F)

Step 10

Ladel on the rest of the tomato sauce so the eggplants are ¾ submerged in sauce. Bake in the oven for half an hour until the eggplants are well done

Step 11

Sprinkle on the rest of the toasted pine nuts just before serving with rice.