Mkhallal Al-Bathenjan
September 29th, 2018
It is the season of vegetables that are main ingredients of many Syrian dishes, one example is Eggplant (Bathenjan in Arabic). It is the time to make Makdous Al-Bathenjan, Mrabba Al-Bathenjan, Mrabba Al-Bathenjan Al-Halabi, and Mkhallal Al-Bathenjan (eggplant pickle).
Mkhallal Al-Bathenjan is prepared by stuffing baby eggplants with a mixture of chopped ground red pepper and garlic then preserved in brine. It is normally eaten with savory dishes.
Let’s make Makhallal Al-Bathenjan:
1, 2, 3, 4. These are baby eggplants, and this is the type of eggplants used for making mkhallal (try to find the same kind in the picture), approximately 1 1/2 – 2 inches long (4 – 5 cm).
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Cut off he stem and keep the cap.
11, 12. Put eggplants in a bowl and cover with water to soak.
13, 14, 15, 16. Put a plate over eggplants and soak them for 24 hours.
17, 18, 19, 20. After 24 hours, drain water and rinse eggplants in several changes of water.
21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Arrange eggplants in a pot as you see in the picture.
26. Add water to the pot to cover the eggplants.
27. Water should be above the top level of the eggplants.
28. Put a plate over eggplants.
29. Put a weight over the plate, this is a piece of marble.
30, 31, 32. Turn on heat and keep over high heat until it starts to boil vigorously. Then remove the heavy weight.
33, 34, 35, 36. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes then turn off heat. The time varies according to the size of the pot, the size of eggplants and the amount of eggplants.
37, 38, 39. Eggplants should be slightly soft but not mushy. Check by pressing the eggplant with your finger and it should leave a mark. If the eggplants still very hard, so you may need to simmer for some extra time.
40. Drain water from eggplants.
41, 42, 43, 44. Cover eggplants with cold water for 10 minutes.
45, 46. Drain water from eggplants.
47, 48. The pictures show how should the eggplant look like when you press on it.
49. Put eggplants aside.
Filling
50. Put 30 g ground Aleppo pepper in a bowl.
51, 52. Add 20 g crushed garlic to ground Aleppo pepper.
53, 54, 55. Stir the ingredients to mix them.
57, 58, 59, 60. Open the small vertical opening of eggplant.
61 to 72. Stuff each eggplant with 1 teaspoons filling. The amount of filling depends on the size of the eggplant.
73, 74, 75, 76. Arrange in a sterile airtight jar. This close picture to show you how you should arrange eggplants in jar, should be in the same way in the picture.
Brine
77. Put 500 ml water in a jug.
78. Add 5 teaspoons non iodized salt to water.
79, 80. Stir to dissolve.
81, 82, 83. Pour the brine to the jar of eggplants, water should cover the eggplants.
84. Add 2 medium grapes to the jar.
85, 86, 87, 88. Close the jar and keep at room temperature for 7 days.
89, 90, 91, 92. After 7 day, Mkhallal Al-Bathenjan is ready for consumption. Store in the refrigerator.
93. Serve Mkhalla Al-Bathenjan with Mjaddarah and Kibbeh Meshwiyeh (Grilled Kibbeh).
Mkhallal Al-Bathenjan
From: Family Recipe / Servings:
PDF Text Only / Print With Images
| 550 g baby eggplants approximately 1 1/2 – 2 inches (4 – 5 cm) long water, to soak eggplants water, to cook eggplants Filling 30 g ground Aleppo pepper 20 g crushed garlic Brine 500 ml water 5 tbsp fine non iodized salt 2 medium grapes
|
These are baby eggplants, and this is the type of eggplants used for making mkhallal (try to find the same kind in the picture), approximately 1 1/2 – 2 inches long (4 – 5 cm). Cut off he stem and keep the cap. Put eggplants in a bowl and cover with water to soak. Put a plate over eggplants and soak them for 24 hour After 24 hours, drain water and rinse eggplants in several changes of water. Arrange eggplants in a pot as you see in the picture. Add water to the pot to cover the eggplants. Water should be above the top level of the eggplants. Put a plate over eggplants. Put a weight over the plate, this is a piece of marble. Turn on heat and keep over high heat until it starts to boil vigorously. Then remove the heavy weight. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes then turn off heat. The time varies according to the size of the pot, the size of eggplants and the amount of eggplants. Eggplants should be slightly soft but not mushy. Check by pressing the eggplant with your finger and it should leave a mark. If the eggplants still very hard, so you may need to simmer for some extra time. Drain water from eggplants. Cover eggplants with cold water for 10 minutes. Drain water from eggplants. Filling Put 30 g ground Aleppo pepper in a bowl. Add 20 g crushed garlic to ground Aleppo pepper. Stir the ingredients to mix them. Open the small vertical opening of eggplant. Stuff each eggplant with 1 teaspoons filling. The amount of filling depends on the size of the eggplant. Arrange in a sterile airtight jar. This close picture to show you how you should arrange eggplants in jar, should be in the same way in the picture. Brine Put 500 ml water in a jug. Add 5 teaspoons non iodized salt to water. Stir to dissolve. Pour brine to the jar of eggplants, water should cover the eggplants. Add 2 grapes to the jar. Close the jar and keep at room temperature for 7 days. After 7 day, Mkhallal Al-Bathenjan is ready for consumption. Store in the refrigerator. Serve Mkhalla Al-Bathenjan with Mjaddarah and Kibbeh Meshwiyeh (Grilled Kibbeh). |
Notes and Tips
In Syria, this variety of baby eggplants used for the recipe is called “Bathenjan Homsi or Bathenjan Tadfi”, it grows in Homs, Hama, Aleppo, and Idlib.
Here is a photo of ground Aleppo pepper, and click here to know more about it.
It is not necessary to use airtight jar.
I did not use all the amount of brine.
