EGGPLANT AJAPSANDALI (Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian cuisines)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajapsandali

Ajapsandali is a popular family dish of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian cuisines. The main ingredients are eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, and  parsley.

 Some variations of the dish also include potatoes and the chili pepper. 

All the ingredients of ajapsandali are common Georgian food and readily available during the summer season. 

This dish is a relative to popular Turkish dish imam-bayaldi.

Ingredients  

• 1,5 kg eggplant
• ½ cup oil
• 500 g  tomatoes
• ½ bunch each: coriander, basil, parsley
• 3  colored peppers
• 3  onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2  bay leaves

Wash eggplant, peel the skin off, cut each eggplant into four parts lengthwise, and then each part in halves.

Put the pieces into a bowl, sprinkle with salt and leave it for half an hour.

Squeeze the pieces, avoiding crushing them.

Fry finely shredded onion.  

When the  onions turn brown put the squeezed eggplant into the pan and stew.

Add sliced tomatoes to the frying pan and stew them about 2-3 min.

Put a laurel-leaf and peppers cut lengthwise.

Add shredded greens and garlic,  salt and  pepper to taste.

It is very good to be served warm or cold. Can be an aperitif or/and side dish.

Bonne apetit!