Stuffed Eggplant with Ground Chicken

Method15 steps · about 27 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the vegetables, chop the tomato (1), mince the onion (1) and garlic (5), and deseed and finely chop the red pepper before heating the pan. Hold the red pepper aside. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil and sauté all the garlic, onion and tomato until the tomato softens.

   Uses 1 tomato, chopped · 1 onion, minced · 5 garlic cloves, minced · 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and finely chopped · Water for washing the eggplants, tomato and pepper, as needed · 3 tbsp cooking oil for the chicken filling

2. 2

   Step 2: Add all the raw ground chicken (½ lb). Break it up and cook for about 3–5 minutes, checking from 3 minutes, until it loses its raw colour and begins to brown.

   Brown the ground chicken · 3 minUses All softened tomato, onion and garlic in the initial oil, with the pepper held separately · ½ lb raw ground chicken

3. 3

   Step 3: Add all the held red pepper and green peas (½ cup). Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring them through the chicken.

   Cook pepper and peas with chicken · 2 minUses All chicken, tomato, onion, garlic and initial oil · The whole chopped red pepper held from step 1 · ½ cup green peas

4. 4

   Step 4: Pour in all 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and stir through the filling.

   Uses All chicken, pepper, peas, tomato, aromatics and oil · 2 tbsp soy sauce

5. 5

   Step 5: Season the filling with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Continue cooking and stirring until the liquid has evaporated and the ground chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F. Set the cooked filling aside to cool slightly while preparing the eggplants.

   Uses All chicken, vegetables, oil and soy sauce · Salt for the chicken filling, to taste · Ground black pepper for the chicken filling, to taste

6. 6

   Step 6: Use the boiling method: bring the 1 quart of water to a boil in a wide pan, add the washed whole eggplants and cook, turning as needed, until the flesh is completely soft. Lift them out, drain and let them cool enough to handle, then peel off the skins while keeping the stems attached.

   Uses 2 Japanese eggplants · 1 quart water for boiling the eggplants

7. 7

   Step 7: Lay each peeled eggplant on a plate. Gently spread the flesh with a fork from below the stem towards the tip to form a wide fan, keeping the stem intact.

   Uses Both cooked eggplants, drained and peeled with stems attached

8. 8

   Step 8: Beat all 3 eggs in a shallow dish and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Keep this mixture for dipping the eggplants and binding their filling.

   Uses 3 eggs, beaten for dipping and binding · Salt for the beaten eggs, to taste · Ground black pepper for the beaten eggs, to taste

9. 9

   Step 9: Dip each flattened eggplant in the beaten eggs for 1 minute. Keep any remaining egg mixture in its dish for topping the filling.

   Dip each eggplant in beaten eggs · 1 minUses Both flattened eggplants · Enough beaten egg to coat each eggplant; keep the rest for topping

10. 10

    Step 10: Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

    Uses Remaining 5 tbsp cooking oil for frying

11. 11

    Step 11: Gently lay one dipped eggplant in the hot pan. Fry its underside for about 1½ minutes until it begins to set.

    Fry the first eggplant underside · 2 minUses All heated frying oil · One dipped eggplant, with the other held aside

12. 12

    Step 12: Spread enough of the cooked chicken filling evenly over the eggplant. Pour enough of the remaining beaten eggs over it to bind the topping, then carefully spoon a little hot oil from the pan over the surface until it firms enough to turn.

    Uses The first eggplant and its hot pan oil · Enough cooked filling to spread over this eggplant; retain any excess · Enough of the remaining beaten eggs to bind the filling

13. 13

    Step 13: Carefully flip the stuffed eggplant and fry the filling side over low to medium heat for about 2 minutes. Continue as needed until all the egg is fully set and the filling is hot through.

    Fry the filled eggplant face · 2 minUses The first filled eggplant and its pan oil

14. 14

    Step 14: Lift the first cooked eggplant onto a serving plate. Repeat the 1½-minute underside fry, filling and egg topping, and 2-minute filling-side fry for the second eggplant in the same pan, cooking until its eggs are fully set and the filling is hot. Add it to the plate. Refrigerate any unused cooked filling promptly; it can be used for another omelet.

    Uses Lift the first cooked eggplant; keep the used pan oil for the second · The other dipped eggplant · Enough remaining cooked filling for the second eggplant · Enough remaining beaten eggs to bind the second topping

15. 15

    Step 15: Serve the two hot stuffed eggplants, one per portion, with ready steamed rice if desired.

    Uses Both fully cooked stuffed eggplants, with any excess filling stored separately · Ready steamed rice to serve, as desired