Batinjan Mahshi

Batinjan Mahshi is a delicious Lebanese dish featuring grilled eggplant stuffed with a high-protein filling of spiced ground meat and rice. This BBQ delight offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures, making it a satisfying meal for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
• 200 grams ground beef or lamb
• 50 grams uncooked rice
• 1 small onion - finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper - to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - chopped
• 1 lemon - juiced
• 200 ml tomato sauce

Steps

1. Preheat the grill or BBQ to medium heat.
2. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh to create boats, leaving about 1 cm of the shell. Sprinkle with salt and let them sit for 15 minutes to draw out moisture.
3. Rinse the rice and soak it in water for 15 minutes, then drain.
4. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent.
5. Add the ground beef or lamb to the skillet and cook until browned. Stir in the soaked rice, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, then remove from heat.
6. Stir in the chopped parsley and lemon juice into the meat mixture.
7. Rinse the eggplant halves and pat them dry. Fill each eggplant boat with the meat and rice mixture, pressing down gently to pack it in.
8. Brush the filled eggplants with the remaining olive oil and place them on the grill. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally, until the eggplants are tender and slightly charred.
9. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, spoon the tomato sauce over the eggplants to heat through.
10. Serve warm, garnished with additional parsley if desired.

Nutrition

• Calories: 450
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbs: 30 g
• Fiber: 8 g
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 600 mg
• Cholesterol: 70 mg
• Total Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
• Water: 0.5 L

Health Benefits

• High in protein, supporting muscle repair and growth.
• Rich in dietary fiber, promoting digestive health.

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