Arabic recipesMain dishes
Fatteh Makdous: Damascene Eggplant Fatteh with Tahini Yogurt
Fatteh Makdous is a Damascene Ramadan dish layering toasted flatbread with lamb-stuffed baby aubergines in a tangy tomato-pomegranate sauce. Topped right before serving with cool garlic-tahini yogurt, pomegranate seeds, and nuts sizzled in hot ghee, every spoonful contrasts warm and cool textures.
Also known as:Syrian stuffed eggplant fattehFattet batinjan with minced lambLayered aubergine and tahini yogurt bake
Servings6
Prep time30 min
Cook time30 min
Ingredients
Add ingredients to cart- 1 kg baby aubergines cored for stuffing (or cubed large aubergines roasted golden for a quicker weeknight version)
- 350 g minced lamb sautéed with 1 diced onion, 1 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp seven-spice, and salt
- For the tangy red sauce: 400 g grated or crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and 3 tbsp concentrated pomegranate molasses
- For the white tahini topping: 500 g full-fat yogurt, 2 tbsp Syrian labneh, 4 tbsp sesame tahini, 2 crushed garlic cloves, and 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Arabic flatbreads cut into squares and oven-toasted crisp
- To finish: 2 tbsp hot melted ghee, toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds, chopped parsley, and pomegranate seeds
Preparation Steps
- 1Roast or lightly brown the cored baby aubergines until pliable, then pack with the cooked spiced lamb (or roast cubed aubergines at 210 °C until caramelised).
- 2Simmer the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, and salt for 10 minutes, nestle in the stuffed aubergines, and braise gently for 12 minutes.
- 3Whisk the yogurt, labneh, sesame tahini, crushed garlic, lemon juice, and salt until thick and glossy.
- 4Right before serving, scatter the crispy flatbread across a deep platter and spoon the hot tomato-pomegranate sauce, aubergines, and lamb on top.
- 5Blanket with the cool tahini-yogurt sauce, scatter with parsley and pomegranate seeds, and pour sizzling ghee and golden nuts over the surface.
