[Contents]

25 small batinjaan (eggplant)

1 1/4 cups rice

1/2 cup hummus (chick peas) or chopped walnuts

1 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 1/2 chopped tomatoes

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups water

2 large tomatoes, quartered

Make a stuffing of rice, hummus, parsley, onions, chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper, green pepper and olive oil. Moisten with one half cup water. Stuff the eggplant. Place layer of the quartered tomatoes in bottom of pressure cooker. Cover with 12 cups water. Place stuffed eggplant on top of tomatoes in neat layers. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook under pressure 12 minutes, then simmer uncovered until mahshi are very tender and the sauce is reduced. Turn onto a round serving platter. Serve cold.

These mahshi may be cooked without pressure. Prepare as above, but increase water to cover mahshi. Cook covered until tender. Simmer uncovered to thicken sauce.


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