Tiny baby eggplants stuffed with walnuts, garlic, and red pepper, cured in olive oil for weeks. This prized Lebanese preserve is a labor of love that rewards patience with an intense burst of tangy, spicy flavor.
Ingredients
2 kg baby eggplants
200g walnuts, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp red pepper paste
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
Extra-virgin olive oil to cover
2 tbsp coarse salt for boiling
Fresh red chili (optional)
Instructions
1Boil baby eggplants in salted water for 8-10 minutes until softened but still holding shape. Drain and cool completely.
2Make a deep slit lengthwise in each eggplant without cutting through. Press under a heavy weight overnight to drain all excess moisture.
3Mix chopped walnuts, garlic, red pepper paste, Aleppo pepper, and salt to create a fragrant, spicy filling.
4Stuff each eggplant generously with the walnut-pepper mixture, pressing firmly to pack the filling inside.
5Pack stuffed eggplants tightly into sterilized glass jars. Pour olive oil over them until completely submerged with no air pockets.
6Seal jars and cure in a cool dark place for at least one week, ideally two to three weeks, before eating.
Did You Know?
In Lebanon, a household is judged by the quality of its makdous — families guard their recipes fiercely and compare batches each autumn.