İslim Kebabı (Turkish Eggplant-Wrapped Kebab)

Peel 4 eggplants in alternating strips and slice them into long, thin strips. Soak in salted water to draw out the bitterness.

For the köfte mixture: place 500 g (about 1 lb) of ground meat into a bowl and grate 1 yellow onion over it using the fine side of a grater. Add 1 handful of finely chopped parsley. Soak 2 slices of stale bread, squeeze out the excess water, and add to the bowl. Add 1 egg, 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin. Knead everything together. Cover the köfte mixture with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator. Divide the rested mixture into eight equal portions. Shape each portion into a köfte (Turkish meatball) by rolling in your palm and pressing flat. Cook the prepared köfte in a dry pan over low heat, turning to cook both sides.

Drain and rinse the eggplant strips that have been soaking in salted water, then pat dry. Fry them in a pan with hot olive oil, turning to cook both sides. Remove excess oil with a paper towel.

For the sauce: heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Sauté 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (domates salçası) and 1 grated garlic clove for 2–3 minutes. Add 1/2 dessert spoon (about 1 tsp) of oregano and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then pour in 1.5 water glasses (about 300 ml / 1¼ cups) of hot water and stir. Bring to a boil for 4–5 minutes, then remove from heat.

Remove the stems from 2 long green peppers and cut each into four equal pieces. Arrange 4 fried eggplant strips in a cross shape on a serving plate. Place one fried köfte in the center and fold the strips up to wrap it. Top with 1 cherry tomato and 1 piece of green pepper, then secure with a toothpick. Repeat with all köfte, wrapping each in eggplant strips, then arrange them in a glass oven dish.

Pour the prepared sauce over the wrapped İslim kebabs in the glass oven dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for about 25 minutes, then serve.