Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 + 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 medium sized eggplant
• 1 medium-large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp tumeric
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• water
• salt and pepper
• Parsley, to garnish

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450.
2. Peel the eggplant in stripes and chop into 2-3 cm square cubes. Coat with 4 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt. Spread on parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast in oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven door.
3. While the eggplant is in the oven, fry the onion in 3 Tbsp of olive oil until softened.
4. Turn up the heat slightly and add the ground beef. Stir regularly to break up the meat but not so much that it does not brown some pieces.
5. When meat is almost cooked through, add tomato paste. Stir to combine until meat is stained red and paste is “cooked”, about 30 seconds. Add the tumeric and stir to combine, another 30 seconds.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes from the can. Fill the can halfway with water and add that in as well. Add in 1 tsp of salt. Mix well. Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes. The water should mostly evaporate.
7. Add the eggplant cubes and stir gently to combine. Continue to cook for 5-10 more minutes until mixture is not soupy and is a your desired consistency. Stir in parsley to serve.
8. Serve with Turkish rice or bulgur.

Notes

If you time everything right, this recipe takes 30-45 minutes to bring together. We love this recipe because even if you don’t get the consistency quite right, it’s still delicious and makes a great weeknight meal.