Title: Turshi Bonjan (Pickled Stuffed Eggplant)
Categories: Pickle Preserve Jewish Afghan
Yield: 1 Servings

1	lb	(8 to 10) smallest eggplants
4	c	Water
1		Head (abt 8 cloves) garlic, peeled
1/4	c	Dried mint
2	tb	To 3 Tb hot red chili flakes to taste
1	tb	Ground cinnamon
1	tb	Salt
1	c	To 2 c white or red vinegar

Small finger-size eggplant are best to use in this pickle, but smallest Italian variety will do well. The pickle will keep preserved for several months but should be refrigerated after it matures & once it is served.

1. Remove stem from each eggplant & make 2 cuts down crosswise, to within 1-inch of bottom. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add eggplants, & cook over moderate heat for 5 mins. Drain & cool in colander for 1/2 hour. Set aside. 2. Grind garlic, mint, chili flakes, cinnamon, & salt together to a medium but not too fine consistency. There should be some texture. Push apart 4 prongs of each eggplant & stuff w/1 ts spice mixture. Fit eggplants into a glass jar & pour in enough vinegar to cover them. If there is any leftover spice mix, put that into jar with the eggplants. Let pickle mature for 5 days before serving, then refrigerate.

Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992 Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. David Pileggi

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