Betingan Makdous (stuffed Aubergine Pickle In Olive Oil)

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 small round baby aubergines
• 3 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dry red chili pepper flakes
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Recipe

• 1 wipe clean the aubergines.
• 2 poach aubergines in salted water for about 15 minutes until soft and then set aside to cool.
• 3 once cool, squeeze very gently to get rid of the water.
• 4 to make the stuffing, mix the chopped walnuts, chopped garlic and dry chilli flakes together and season with salt and pepper.
• 5 cut a slit lengthwise down the middle of each aubergine but not right through, leaving the ends so as to form a pocket.
• 6 stuff with the walnut mixture.
• 7 pack the aubergines stem ends up in a completely sterile glass jar with a firm seal and cover with olive oil from time to time as you pack in the layers of aubergines.
• 8 make sure the aubergines are submerged in oil.
• 9 keep refrigerated until rich flavour develops, for about a week before serving.
• 10 this will keep for a month in a refrigerator.