Imam Biyaldi

[velochic]

Snoop, like I said, the only thing my grandma did not use were cumin seeds. Otherwise, it is the same recipe.

And velochick, sorry you did not get the humorous tone of my post.
As far as learning from somebody in Moscow, sorry to say, but I have never had a decent meal prepared by Muscovite in my entire life.(including my numerous relatieves) Whenever I went to restaurant in Moscow, I always had to order a lot of caviar and lox or other smoked type of fish. The things that they made it on premises were barely edible.

She wasn't a Muscovite. She was from St. Petersburg. And you know what... being an American in such a different culinary environment for the first time, I don't care where she was from... she was a great teacher for a young American.

So, what was the name of this Imam Biyaldi dish in Russian? I've been all over Russia, and many of the former republics, so I'm sure I'd recognize it.

 

[CharlieD]

Whatever ..............

 

[PrincessinAK]

This recipe sounds good from everyones reviews and looks easy to make. I'd like to try it soon. When I go to buy eggplant what should a ripe one ready to eat look like? Does one eat the skin? I'm blushing when I say I've never cooked or tried (that I know of) eggplant!

I'm still young so I'll use that as my excuse :0)

Thanks Ishbel for the recipe and a fun thread to read!!

 

[Ishbel]

The skin should be firm and shiny. The skin can be eaten, but depending on how I cook it, I often scoop out the cooked flesh and leave the skin. Aubergines come in lots of shapes and sizes - and even colours, there is a variety called Amethyst, which is mostly white with lilac-ish colouring.

 

[Claire]

I prefer to skin eggplant. It is unpredictable whether or not it will be tough or tender, and it is very easy to peal. So I always peel it (no matter the recipe). If I'm baking or grilling it whole (which I do for my version of this recipe), I do it whole, then scoop out the "meat" of the vegetable. If I'm sauteeing it, I peel it with my trusty good grips peeler, then slice or chop it. I'm not crazy about the skin, but it is easy to get rid of it.