Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 10.58 ounces ground turkey
  • 3 large eggplants
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  • 1x14.11oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little more for drizzling)
  • 1¼ teaspoons cumin powder, smoked paprika, fine sea salt (each)
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper and onion powder (each)
  • ⅓ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Cilantro/fresh coriander for garnish

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways and place on a large baking tray open side up. Brush/drizzle with a little olive oil (2 tablespoons) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little. Keep the oven on.
  • Whilst the eggplant is in the oven prepare the sauce. In a large frying pan heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the garlic and onion and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes stirring often. Add the meat, mash using a fork and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and spices, stir and cook over medium/high heat for about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Once the eggplants have cooled a little scoop out the flesh leaving about 8 mm around the edges (you can do this using a knife and either a melon baller or a large spoon). Place the pulp, along with HALF of the sauce in a blender and whiz for a few seconds until the ingredients are well combined. Add this mixture to the remaining sauce and stir thoroughly. 
  • Place a generous amount of the sauce inside the eggplant halves, drizzle with a little oil and bake for 40 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.