Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik)

A healthy twist on a classic Turkish dish, stuffed eggplant with a flavorful filling of spiced minced meat and vegetables.

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving about a 1/2 inch shell.
3. Chop the scooped-out eggplant flesh.
4. In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until translucent.
5. Add minced beef and cook until browned.
6. Stir in chopped eggplant, tomato, bell pepper, tomato paste, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
7. Stuff the eggplant shells with the mixture.
8. Place the stuffed eggplants in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the eggplant is tender.
10. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

• 1 medium eggplant
• 100g minced lean beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish