Fatteh Makdous (Lamb-Stuffed Eggplant Fatteh)

Prepare the red sauce: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, crushed garlic, madras powder, black pepper, ground cumin, and seven-spice powder. Pour in 200ml of water and 1/2 tsp of salt. Simmer until the sauce thickens to the consistency of single cream.

Prep the baby eggplants: Trim the green tops. Use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of skin to create a striped pattern. Carefully hollow out the core using a small sharp knife or the handle of a teaspoon. Soak the hollowed eggplants in cold salted water to prevent browning. Before cooking, drain them well and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.

Fry the components: Fill a deep pan one-third full with oil and heat to 180°C (or until a bread cube browns in 30 seconds). Deep-fry the flatbread squares for 30-40 seconds until golden and crisp; drain on paper towels. In the same oil, fry the eggplants in batches for 4-5 minutes until the flesh is tender and the skin is browned. Drain well.

Prepare the filling and stuff: In a separate pan, sauté the minced lamb in a little olive oil until fully browned. Stir in the pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the fried eggplants with the lamb mixture through the hollowed ends, or carefully slit them lengthwise to fit more filling. Place the stuffed eggplants in a pan with 6 tbsp of the red sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.