🧾 Ingredients (2 servings)
🥒 Cacık (Turkish Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
Cucumber: 1 large (~250g)
Garlic: 1 clove (minced. or pressed)
Yogurt: 200g (plain, full-fat or strained)
Dried oregano or mint or both: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
🍆 Karniyarık (Stuffed Eggplants)
Eggplant: 1 big (~400g total)
Olive oil spray or drizzle: 4-5 grams
Ground beef 15% fat: 200g
Onion: 1 small (~80g, diced)
Parmigiano Reggiano: 20g (grated)
Tomato paste (Salça): 1 tbsp
Cherry tomatoes: 200g (or 1 medium tomato)
Salt & black pepper to taste
Optional: chili flakes or smoked paprika or isot
🍚 Rice
White rice: 100g
Water: 130 ml
Butter: 1 tbsp (10 g)
Salt & pepper to taste
🔪 Instructions
1. Cacık First:
Grate that cucumber.
Mix with yogurt, minced garlic, oregano/mint, and salt. Chill in fridge.
Pro tip: Chill it in the freezer about 20-30 mins or until ice crystals are just starting to form.
2. Prep the Eggplants:
Slice lengthwise but keep stems on. Score the inside in a crisscross.
Spray/drizzle olive oil. Air fry at 180°C (375°F) for 15-20 min until soft and golden.
3. Cook the Filling:
Brown ground beef in a preheated pan.
Add diced onion, sauté until translucent.
Blend cherry tomatoes & salça into a sauce, add spices, stir into meat.
Simmer until thickened. Season to taste.
4. Mash & Stuff:
Mash the roasted eggplant flesh with a fork.
Sprinkle grated Parmigiano on top.
Scoop beef mixture into eggplants.
Air fry again at 180°C (355°F) for ~5 more minutes.
5. Rice Game:
Toast dry rice briefly in the pan.
Add water, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, cover.
Cook on low for ~8-12 min. Let it rest 5 min with a towel under the lid.
Stir in butter at the end for fluff and flavor.
6. Plate Like a Pro:
Lay the stuffed eggplants, a spoonful of cacık, and fluffy buttered rice.
Hit record. Take a bite. Foodgasm.