The Imam Bayıldı dish is one of the most beloved Turkish delicacies, and its origin is steeped in both religion and culinary tradition. There are two different theories as to why this meal is called Imam fainted.
The first theory states that an imam was so enamored with the taste of the dish that he fainted after eating it. It is believed that one of the ingredients, or the taste itself, may have been the cause of the Imam’s faint.
The second theory states that an imam married a wealthy olive oil merchant and was given plenty of olive oil as part of the dowry. His wife used this olive oil to make the Imam fainted dish. He loved so much that he wanted to eat it every day. Unfortunately, once the olive oil ran out, the dish could no longer be made and the Imam fainted from sadness.
No matter the origin, Imam Bayıldı is a beloved and iconic dish that has stood the test of time.
The more onions, the more delicious it will be. If you want to prepare Imam bayildi recipe in a healthier way; you can bake the eggplants in the oven instead of frying them.
IMAM BAYILDI
- 5 eggplants
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 medium sized onions
- 6-7 cloves of dried garlic
- 2-3 green peppers
- 2 cups of oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 teaspoons of salt
How to make it:
- Finely chop the onion, tomato and green pepper.
- Peel the garlic.
- Peel the eggplants and cut the green stems with a knife without removing them.
- Fry the eggplants in oil until soft and place in a dish lined with a napkin.
- Throw in the remaining onions, tomatoes, peppers, garlic (whole) and fry, when the tomatoes get juiced, they’re ready to drink.
- Arrange the eggplants on the baking tray and expand them.
- Fill the prepared stuffing into the eggplants.
- Bake in the oven for another 10-15 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
