Required products:
For the eggplant:
- eggplant - 600 g
- cold water - for soaking and boiling
- vinegar - 1 tbsp.
- bay leaf - 1 pc.
- salt - 1 tsp.
- butter - 50 g
- olive oil - 2 tbsp.
- ground cumin - 1/2 tsp.
- black pepper - 1/2 tsp.
- smoked red pepper - 1 tsp.
- hot red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp.
For the milk-eggplant sauce:
- eggplants - 2 pcs. about 500 g
- strained yogurt - 400 g
- garlic - 2 cloves
- lemon juice - 1 tbsp.
- salt - to taste
For serving:
- thin pita bread or Turkish bread - 120 g
- butter - 10 g
Method of preparation:
The girls, which are delicate glands from a young animal, are soaked in a large bowl of cold water for two hours. The water is changed at least once, after which the harder skins, visible veins and dark spots are removed. This pre-treatment is important for the texture of the meat and for a cleaner taste.
In a saucepan, boil water with one tablespoon of vinegar, one bay leaf and one teaspoon of salt. Blanch the mushrooms for 6-8 minutes - enough to firm up, but without cooking them completely. After removing them, let them cool, dry them well and cut them into bite-sized pieces of about 3-4 cm.
In a wide frying pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and 30 g of butter. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer and fry for 7-9 minutes over medium heat, turning them several times. Add half a teaspoon each of ground cumin and black pepper. The goal is for the pieces to get golden edges, while their insides remain juicy and soft.
While the girls are preparing, two eggplants weighing about 500 g are pierced with a fork and baked at 220 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Once they are soft, they are peeled, and their fleshy part is left in a colander for 10 minutes to drain the excess liquid.
The baked eggplant is mixed with 400 g of strained yogurt, two pressed garlic cloves, one tablespoon of lemon juice and salt to taste. The resulting sauce should be thick, so that it stays on the plate without running.
The remaining 20 g of butter is melted with one teaspoon of smoked paprika and half a teaspoon of chili flakes. The mixture is heated for about 30 seconds, without the spices darkening. This produces the aromatic red butter, which is poured over the finished girls.
For the finale, 120 g of thin lavash or Turkish bread are cut into pieces, spread with 10 g of melted butter and baked at 190 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Spread the sauce in a warmed shallow dish, arrange the hot girls on it, add the red butter, and place the crispy lavash on the edge.
The dish is served immediately, while the meat is juicy, the sauce is thick, and the lavash retains its crispiness.
Source: recepti.gotvach.bg