Stuffed aubergines in olive oil (İmam bayıldı)

1. Peel the aubergines lengthwise in stripes (one strip of skin, one peeled), soak them in salted water for 20 minutes, then pat dry.

2. Fry them all over in some of the oil until golden and soft, then lay them in a baking dish; preheat the oven to 180 °C.

3. In the remaining oil, gently cook the thinly sliced onions for 10 minutes, add the sliced garlic, green chillies and three quarters of the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes; season with salt and sugar and stir in the parsley.

4. Slit the aubergines lengthwise, open them slightly with a spoon and fill them generously with the onion mixture; top each with a slice of tomato.

5. Pour 150 ml of water into the dish, cover and bake for 40 minutes until the aubergines are completely soft.

6. Serve at room temperature, spooned with their juices.

Tip: The name means the imam fainted – from the amount of olive oil or from the flavour, depending on the legend. Like all olive oil dishes, it's best lukewarm or cold and even better the next day.