Arabic & Levantine Pantry Guide
Makdous: Oil-Cured Baby Aubergines Stuffed with Walnuts and Red Pepper
Makdous is a Syrian and Levantine pantry delicacy made from small boiled and pressed aubergines stuffed with walnuts, sun-dried red pepper and garlic, then cured in olive oil. Pleasantly tangy and rich, it is served at breakfast and supper alongside flatbread, labneh, cheese and black tea.
Salting and Pressing the Baby Aubergines
Traditionally prepared in late summer as part of the winter pantry (mouneh), makdous calls for small, firm, seedless baby aubergines. Once the green caps are trimmed, the whole aubergines are simmered briefly until just tender, slit lengthwise to form a pocket and salted inside. They are then stacked under heavy weights for several days so the flesh releases nearly all its water. Removing this moisture keeps the aubergines firm and preserves them safely under oil for months.
Walnut, Red Pepper and Garlic Stuffing
The bright red filling combines hand-chopped walnuts with sun-dried sweet or mildly hot red pepper paste, crushed garlic and salt. Each drained aubergine is stuffed generously and packed tightly into glass jars before being submerged in olive oil. Left in a cool cupboard for about two weeks, the jars undergo a gentle fermentation that gives makdous its signature tang and infuses the oil with a deep ruby colour.
Serving and Storing Makdous
Makdous is brought to the table with a spoonful of its ruby-tinted oil, ready to be scooped up with fresh Arabic flatbread alongside labneh, olives, boiled eggs and sweet black tea. Even after the aubergines are finished, the aromatic oil left in the jar is prized for drizzling over dips and salads. To keep an opened jar fresh, always use a clean, dry fork and make sure the top layer of aubergines stays completely submerged under oil.
