Imam Bayildi with BBQ Lamb and Tzatziki

Name: Imam Bayildi with BBQ Lamb and Tzatziki
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: turkish
Ingredients: 3 aubergines; 2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing; 1 Spanish onion finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves crushed; 1 tsp cinnamon; 8 ripe tomatoes peeled; small bunch flat-leaf parsley chopped; 12 lamb chops or cutlets; paprika for seasoning; 1 lemon halved; 150g tub Greek yogurt; 1/2 cucumber seeds scooped out, grated; 2 tbsp chopped mint

4.10 (11)

⏱ 105 mins 🍽 Serves 6 🌶 turkish ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This traditional Turkish main course features aubergines roasted until tender, then filled with a fragrant mixture of onion, garlic, cinnamon and tomato. The dish is baked until the aubergines collapse. It is served with simply seasoned lamb chops, cooked on a griddle or barbecue, and a cooling homemade tzatziki. This recipe serves six people and takes around 105 minutes to prepare and cook.

Ingredients

3 aubergines
2 tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing
1 Spanish onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp cinnamon
8 ripe tomatoes peeled
small bunch flat-leaf parsley chopped
12 lamb chops or cutlets
paprika for seasoning
1 lemon halved
150g tub Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber seeds scooped out, grated
2 tbsp chopped mint

Method

Set your oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cut the aubergines in half lengthwise and deeply score the cut sides. Brush them generously with olive oil and place on a baking tray. Roast for 20 mins or until the flesh is soft enough to scoop out.
Cook the chopped onion in a little oil until softened, then add the crushed garlic and cinnamon and fry for 1 min. Once the aubergines are cool, scoop out the centres. Chop this flesh and add it to the onion pan. Halve the tomatoes, reserving the seeds and juice in a sieve over a bowl, then chop the flesh. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook everything for 10 mins until soft. Add a little more oil if needed. Mix in most of the chopped parsley, saving some for garnish.
Place the aubergine halves in a baking dish and spoon the tomato mixture into them. Pour the reserved tomato juice over the top, drizzle with more olive oil and bake for 30 mins until the aubergines have collapsed.
While the aubergines bake, combine the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber and chopped mint to make the tzatziki. Transfer it to a small serving bowl.
Season the lamb chops with salt, black pepper and a pinch of paprika. Cook them on a griddle, grill or barbecue for 3 mins on each side or until the fat is nicely browned. Place the lamb in a serving dish and squeeze the lemon halves over them. Scatter the remaining parsley over the baked aubergines, then serve everything with the lamb and tzatziki.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories435 kcal

Fat32 g

Saturates14 g

Carbs12 g

Sugars10 g

Fibre5 g

Protein27 g

Sodium108 mg

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy

CategoryMain course

Cuisineturkish