Intense Aubergine and Tomato Stew/Puree, with lots of olive oil and garlic, as taught to me by Mehrnoosh’s Mum in Esfahan, Iran.
Feeds about 10.
Take 3kg aubergines and char really well over an open flame until black on the outside and soft all the way through. Peel off the blackened skin, which should come away pretty easily. Don’t use water or you will loose all the lovely smoky flavour. Using a big dish flat dish, chop the flesh until mushy.
In a big sauté pan fry about 3-4 heads (not cloves!) of chopped garlic in a generous amount of olive oil until golden and remove from the pan.
Heat about ¼ pint light olive oil in the sauté pan on quite high heat and add the aubergine. Also add the garlic, about 1tbsp of turmeric, and season to taste.
Reduce to medium/high heat. Cook, stirring frequently for 30 minutes, adding more oil if necessary. Meanwhile, puree about 1½ kg fresh plum tomatoes.
Keep cooking the aubergine and add the tomatoes. Cook for another ½ hour still on quite a high heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. When I saw this being made it was more like a seamless flow of oil, turmeric, garlic and salt into the aubergine mix throughout the cooking, until it was judged intense enough. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe, it seems.
After about an hour total cooking time you can stir in 2 beaten eggs, or serve with fried eggs on top, if you wish. It is a really intense flavour, and a little goes a long way, although in Iran I was told it was traditionally “drinking food” from the north.