The Turkish relationship with eggplant (patlıcan) is unique in the world: Dağdeviren documents over 80 eggplant preparations in The Turkish Cookbook. No culinary tradition has developed more varied techniques for a single vegetable. The seven fundamental techniques — flame-roasting, salting and pressing, frying in olive oil, stuffing, braising, drying, and pickling — each produce a categorically different result from the same vegetable.
**Salting and pressing:** - Eggplant cut and salted generously — rested 30 minutes. The salt draws out the bitter compounds (solanine derivatives) and excess moisture that would cause the eggplant to absorb excessive oil during frying. - Rinse salt after pressing; squeeze gently to remove additional moisture; dry with a towel before cooking. **Frying in olive oil:** - The salted and dried eggplant fries without absorbing excessive oil — the surface moisture has been removed, preventing the steam that pulls oil into the cells. - Temperature: 175°C. Medium-high heat produces even browning without excessive oil absorption. **İmam Bayıldı (the imam fainted — stuffed eggplant in olive oil):** - Whole eggplants, cut lengthwise but not separated, stuffed with onion, tomato, garlic, parsley — then braised completely submerged in olive oil. - The name: the imam fainted from pleasure (or from the quantity of expensive olive oil used — the legend is disputed).
The Turkish Cookbook