[Contents]

4 medium-sized round eggplant, or

12 small, long eggplant

12 small white onions

6 ripe tomatoes

6 cloves garlic

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 cup olive oil

1 cup water

Prepare the round eggplant by peeling and slicing in one- inch slices. Partially peel the long type of eggplant lengthwise to give a striped effect. Do not remove hull. Fry eggplant in hot oil until soft. Saute onions in the oil and place them in the bottom of a heavy pan or casserole that can be placed on the direct fire. Peel and slice tomatoes. Arrange alternate layers of fried eggplant and tomato slices on top of onions. Crush garlic with salt and fry gently for a few minutes. Sprinkle over vege- tables. Add pepper and water. Cook on top of stove over medium fire until boiling well. Lower heat and simmer until sauce is reduced and vegetables are very tender. Thicken sauce with small amount of flour. Invert carefully onto a round serving platter. Serve cold.


(From Food from the Arab World Marie Karam Khayat and Margaret Clark Keatinge, Khayat's, Beirut 1959)