Alex luck //Hearst Owned

Lentil Imam Bayildi

Name: Lentil Imam Bayildi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 2 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 large aubergine; 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to brush; 1 onion, finely sliced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon; 2 very ripe tomatoes (200g), chopped; 60 g red split lentils; 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges; Small handful mint leaves, chopped; Cooked rice, to serve

A protein-boosted version of this veggie Ottoman classic. The olive oil is integral to the dish, and legend has it that so much was used in the original that the Imam (priest) wept, whether due to its cost or delicious richness is a matter of much debate!

By The GH Kitchen TeamPublished: 14 May 2021

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Yields:

2 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

55 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Cal/Serv:

375

Ingredients

1 large aubergine
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to brush
1 onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 very ripe tomatoes (200g), chopped
60 g red split lentils
1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
Small handful mint leaves, chopped
Cooked rice, to serve

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Leaving the stalk on, halve aubergine lengthways and brush cut side with a little oil. Arrange cut side-up in a roasting tin or baking dish in which they fit snugly. Cook for 25min, or until just soft enough to remove flesh.
2. Step 2Meanwhile, heat 1tbsp oil in a medium pan over medium heat and fry onion for 8-10min, until softened and golden. Add garlic and cinnamon and fry for 1min, then stir in tomatoes and cook for a further min. Remove from heat.
3. Step 3Remove aubergines from oven and carefully scoop out most of the flesh with a spoon, being careful not to tear the skin. Return empty aubergine shells to the roasting tin/dish. Roughly chop aubergine flesh and add to the pan, along with the lentils and 200ml water. Bubble for 10min, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just tender and mixture has reduced. Season generously.
4. Step 4Spoon aubergine mixture back into shells, drizzle with remaining oil and cook in the oven for 20min, basting with the oil in the tin/dish halfway through cooking. Squeeze over a little lemon juice, sprinkle over mint and serve hot or warm, with cooked rice.

Per serving:

Calories: 375
Protein: 10g
Total. fat: 23g
Saturates: 3g
Carbs: 28g
Total sugars: 11g
Fibre: 9g

The GH Kitchen Team

The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor ⁠Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce ⁠Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time