Ingredients
Aubergines
- 4large aubergines, about 1.5 kg
Base
- 6 tbspvegetable oil
- 10garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tspturmeric
- 4tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- salt and black pepper
To finish
- 4eggs, lightly beaten
To serve
- flatbread
- steamed rice
- fresh herbs
Directions
- Prick each aubergine several times with a knife. Set them directly on a gas burner over a medium flame. Turn them with tongs every few minutes. The skin should blacken completely and the flesh should collapse.
- Put the charred aubergines in a colander over a bowl. Split them open and let them drain for thirty minutes. Scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Leave every scrap of blackened skin behind. Chop the flesh roughly with a knife. Do not blend it, since the texture should stay rough. Slice the cloves thinly rather than crushing them.
- Warm the oil in a wide heavy pan over a medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic to it. Cook it gently for five to six minutes. It should turn pale gold and smell sweet rather than sharp.
- Stir in the turmeric and cook it for thirty seconds. Add the chopped aubergine flesh to the pan. Turn it through the garlic oil. Cook it over a medium heat for fifteen minutes. Stir it often and mash it against the pan as you go. Stir in the tomato paste and cook it for two minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes as well.
- Cook it for another ten minutes until they have broken down. The mixture should be thick and quite dry. Season it with salt and black pepper. Adding the egg is the last step and is done gently.
- Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Pour the beaten eggs into the well. Let them sit for thirty seconds to begin setting. Cook it for two or three minutes until the egg has just set. Do not overcook it, since the egg goes dry and grainy.
- Taste it and adjust the salt at the end. Serving it is done warm rather than hot. Spoon it into a shallow serving dish. Pour a little oil over the surface if you want. Serve warm flatbread for scooping. It is good cold the next day and the flavour deepens.
Technique
- Char the aubergines over a flame; oven roasting gives no smoke and misses the point.
- Drain the charred flesh for thirty minutes, or the dish is watery and bitter.
- Ten garlic cloves is correct, since it mellows completely during the long cooking.
Substitutions
- A charcoal grill in place of a gas burner, which is better still.
- Tinned chopped tomatoes in place of fresh.
Variations
- Without egg, which some Gilani households make.
- With more tomato, for a looser mixture.
- Served cold as part of a meze spread.
History
Gilan dish of smoked aubergine, garlic, tomato and egg, named after a Qajar-era governor of the province.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mirza ghasemi?
Mirza ghasemi is a salad & side from Iran: gilani smoked eggplant with garlic, tomato and egg. Gilan dish of smoked aubergine, garlic, tomato and egg, named after a Qajar-era governor of the province.
How long does Mirza ghasemi take to make?
Mirza ghasemi takes 20 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Mirza ghasemi?
Yes, within limits. A charcoal grill in place of a gas burner, which is better still. Tinned chopped tomatoes in place of fresh.
What is the most important thing to get right in Mirza ghasemi?
Put the charred aubergines in a colander over a bowl. Split them open and let them drain for thirty minutes. Scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Leave every scrap of blackened skin behind. Chop the flesh roughly with a knife. Do not blend it, since the texture should stay rough. Slice the cloves thinly rather than crushing them.
