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1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Add onions, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt into a bowl together.
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3
Massage onions with your hands to work in the lemon juice and salt, and let sit as you continue on with the recipe.
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4
Take eggplant and cut very carefully along the top of eggplant by the leaves.
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5
There is a small reed in the eggplant in the heart of the leafy part, which is most traditionally kept on in this dish.
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6
Cut around the reed and pull off the top of eggplant and leafy part (optional, for presentation).
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7
Peel the eggplant in zebra stripes, alternating one part peeled and one part with skin left on.
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8
Cut lengthwise in half and begin to spoon out inner part of eggplant.
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9
Create a cavity that will become the canoe for your filling, being sure to leave the walls of eggplant relatively thick.
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10
Heat a skillet on high heat and add a generous spoonful of olive oil.
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11
Once olive oil is nice and hot, fry eggplant canoe on all sides until it slightly browns.
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12
This should take roughly 57 minutes.
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13
Once eggplant canoes are slightly browned, take out of skillet and let sit on a plate with a paper towel in between (to soak up oil).
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14
In the bowl with the onions and lemon juice, add garlic, olive oil (another 2 healthy spoonfuls), tomatoes, and all herbs and spices.
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15
Stir very well together.
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16
Using the same skillet that eggplant canoes were fried in, lightly cook filling over medium heat for 12 minutes, add tomato paste and continue to cook for 58 minutes.
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17
Taste to make sure flavors meld together.
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18
Add the water and remaining olive oil to baking dish as well as any remnants like parsley stalks or tomato seeds.
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19
These bring fantastic flavors to the braising liquid.
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20
Place eggplant canoes in baking dish.
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21
Overfill canoes with filling, then cover baking dish lightly with aluminum foil.
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22
Bake for 30 minutes before uncovering.
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23
Once uncovered, let the imam bayildi bake for another 30 minutes (60 minutes total).
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24
Remove from oven and let cool.
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25
The imam bayildi should be served at room temperature.
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26
Recipe adapted from Peter Sommer.
