Aubergines stuffed with minced meat (Karnıyarık)

1. Peel the aubergines in stripes (leaving alternate lengthwise strips of skin), soak them in salted water for 20 minutes, then dry them.

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the whole aubergines, turning, for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden on all sides; drain on kitchen paper.

3. Meanwhile soften the chopped onion in the olive oil, add the minced meat and fry until crumbly; add the garlic, diced pepper, tomato purée and diced tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, cook for 10 minutes and finally stir in the parsley.

4. Lay the aubergines in a baking dish, slit them lengthwise (karnıyarık means 'split belly'), open them a little with a spoon and fill generously with the meat mixture.

5. Top each with a slice of tomato and a green chilli, mix the tomato purée with about 200 ml of water and pour it around them.

6. Bake at 180 °C for 25-30 minutes until the tops are browned and the sauce has thickened; serve with rice pilaf and yoghurt.

Tip: For a lighter version, don't fry the aubergines in oil – brush them with a little oil and bake at 200 °C for 25 minutes until soft. Its meat-free, olive-oil sibling is İmam bayıldı.