Stuffed Eggplant, Pepper and Tomato (Badımcan Dolması)
Badımcan dolması (üç bacı) Say it: bah-duhm-JAHN dohl-MAH-suh (ooch bah-JUH)
At the table, badımcan dolması brings soft, juicy vegetables and a filling of ground lamb, rice, onion, and fresh herbs. This Azerbaijani main dish uses eggplant, bell pepper, and tomato, each scooped out and stuffed before the three bake together in one pot. Its other name, üç bacı, means three sisters, a nod to that vegetable trio. The dish belongs to summer produce, and long baking lets the flavors merge; serve it warm or at room temperature with thick yogurt and bread.
Stuffed Eggplant, Pepper and Tomato (Badımcan Dolması)
Badımcan dolması (üç bacı)
Pronounced bah-duhm-JAHN dohl-MAH-suh (ooch bah-JUH)
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the vegetables
For the filling
For cooking
Method
Trim the eggplant stems so each top can serve as a lid, and keep those lids nearby. With a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the eggplant centers until the walls are about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. Lightly salt the eggplant cavities and leave them to sit. Slice the tops off the bell peppers, discard the seeds and inner ribs, and save the pepper tops. Slice the tops off the tomatoes, spoon out the pulp, chop that pulp, and keep it along with the tomato tops.
For the filling, put the ground meat, rinsed rice, chopped onion, minced garlic, 2 tbsp tomato paste, oil or melted butter, dill, parsley, salt, black pepper, and the optional cinnamon and turmeric in a wide bowl. Work everything together by hand or with a spoon until no dry patches remain.
Rinse the salted eggplant shells and dry them. Spoon the meat mixture into every vegetable without pressing it down, stopping about 1/4 inch (5 mm) below the rim so the rice has room to swell. Do not pack the filling tightly. Set the saved tops over the stuffed vegetables, or leave them off if they sit awkwardly.
Pick a deep baking dish or Dutch oven that fits the vegetables upright without much spare room. Stand the filled eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes in it. Stir the water or broth with 1 tbsp tomato paste and the chopped tomato pulp in a small bowl. Pour that liquid down the sides of the dish, not over the tops, until it reaches roughly halfway up the vegetables.
Seal the dish with its lid or foil and set it in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes more, until a knife slides easily into the vegetables and the tops have taken on a little color. If using the stovetop instead, keep the pot covered and simmer gently over low heat for about 45-50 minutes.
Leave the dolma undisturbed for 10 minutes. Move the vegetables to a platter and drizzle a little of the pan liquid over them. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Regional variant: Badımcan dolması with sour plums (alça ilə badımcan dolması)
Tuck 6-8 fresh sour plums (or 1/4 cup/40 g dried apricots) among the stuffed vegetables before the dish goes into the oven. Their tartness cuts the richness of the meat. For a denser filling, leave out the rice and raise the ground meat to 1 1/4 lb (570 g).
Cook's notes
- Pick vegetables that are roughly the same size; they will finish cooking at the same time. Very large eggplants may need an extra 10 minutes in the oven.
- A quick fry of the scooped eggplant shells in oil for 2-3 minutes before filling adds flavor and helps the shells keep their form.
- Add the rice raw to the meat mixture; it cooks through in the moisture from the vegetables and the liquid in the pot.
Serve with
Offer thick yogurt, fresh herbs, and flatbread such as lavash or tandir bread alongside.
Make ahead and storage
The dolma keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; warm it gently in the oven or on the stovetop with a little water. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
