Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Şakşuka

Fried eggplant, zucchini and pepper cubes in tomato-garlic sauce with a dollop of yogurt.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 2 eggplants
• 2 zucchini
• 2 green long peppers
• 4 tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 300 ml frying oil
• 200 g yogurt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Peel the eggplants and zucchini in stripes and cut into 2 cm cubes; let the eggplant cubes sit in salted water for 15 min., squeeze out well and pat very thoroughly dry.
2. Seed the long peppers and cut into wide strips, dice the tomatoes and finely chop the garlic.
3. Heat the frying oil in a pot to 170 °C and fry first the eggplant for 4–5 min., then the zucchini and peppers for 3 min. each until golden brown; work in batches and drain everything on paper towels.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of the frying oil in a pan, sauté the garlic for 30 sec., add the tomato paste and fry for 1 min. until it smells deep and toasty.
5. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for 8–10 min. until a thick, glossy sauce forms that coats the spoon.
6. Loosely arrange the fried vegetables in a shallow dish, spoon the sauce over them, let cool completely and serve cold with a dollop of yogurt and chopped parsley.