Karnıyarık, which literally means “split belly,” is a classic Turkish comfort dish featuring whole eggplants deep-fried or baked until tender, slit down the middle, and generously stuffed with a savory filling of ground beef or lamb, onions, tomatoes, and parsley.

Prep Time	Cook Time	Serves
30 minutes	1 hour	4

Part A: Ingredients

• Eggplant: 4 Medium-sized Globe Eggplants (or 6-8 smaller Japanese/Sicilian eggplants).
• Frying: Olive Oil (for brushing or shallow frying).
• Filling: 1 lb Ground Beef or Lamb, 1 medium Onion (finely chopped), 2 medium Tomatoes (diced, save a few slices for topping), 1 Green Bell Pepper (diced), 3 cloves Garlic (minced).
• Seasoning: 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste, $1/2$ cup Chopped Parsley, 1 tsp Dried Mint, Salt, and Black Pepper.
• Sauce: 1 cup Hot Water mixed with 1 tsp Tomato Paste.

Part B: Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Eggplants

1. Remove the stems from the eggplants. Peel the eggplants in stripes, leaving some of the skin on (this prevents them from collapsing).
2. Make a deep, lengthwise slit down the center of each eggplant, being careful not to cut all the way through.
3. To Remove Bitterness (Optional but Recommended): Salt the cut surface and let the eggplants sit for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat completely dry.

Step 2: Cook the Eggplants

1. Traditional Shallow Fry: Heat $1/2$ inch of olive oil in a skillet. Fry the eggplants on all sides until they are soft and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
2. Healthier Bake: Brush the eggplants generously with olive oil and bake at $400^{\circ} \text{F}$ ($200^{\circ} \text{C}$) for 25–30 minutes until soft.

Step 3: Make the Filling

1. In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and diced pepper. Sauté until soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, dried mint, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes soften.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley.

Step 4: Stuff and Bake

1. Preheat oven to $350^{\circ} \text{F}$ ($175^{\circ} \text{C}$).
2. Place the cooked eggplants in a baking dish. Gently open the slit in each eggplant and spoon the meat filling generously into the cavity.
3. Top each stuffed eggplant with a thin slice of tomato and a thin slice of green pepper.
4. Pour the tomato paste-water mixture around the base of the baking dish (not over the filling).
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the filling is piping hot and the eggplant is extremely tender.

Step 5: Serve

• Serve Karnıyarık warm, traditionally with plain rice pilaf and plain yogurt