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Mirza ghasemi comes from Gilan, the green, rainy province on the Caspian coast. Aubergines are charred until black and smoky, then mashed and cooked with plenty of garlic, tomato and egg.
It is eaten as a main course with rice in the north and as a starter with bread almost everywhere else. It is also vegetarian, and very cheap to make.
At a glance: serves four as a starter. About an hour. Easy.
Ingredients
- 4 large aubergines
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Char the aubergines whole over a gas flame, under a hot grill or on a barbecue, turning until the skin is black and the flesh has collapsed. Leave to cool, then peel and chop the flesh.
- Fry the garlic gently in the oil until it just turns golden. Add the turmeric, then the tomatoes, and cook until they break down.
- Add the aubergine, season well and cook for ten minutes, mashing as you go.
- Make a space in the middle of the pan, crack in the eggs and stir gently as they set, folding them through the aubergine.
Do not be shy with the charring. The smoky flavour is the whole point. Burnt skin is a good sign.
Garlic. Gilani cooks use a lot. Six cloves is the minimum.
Where to buy the ingredients. Outside Iran, you can order turmeric online.
Serve with warm bread or rice, with fresh herbs and pickles on the side. It also makes a good partner for our kuku sabzi at a picnic.
