Imam Biyaldi translates to “the Imam has fainted”. Albanians believe that when the imam (priest) was presented this dish, he liked it so much that he fainted, hence the name. One of the fondest memories I have of Albania is when we asked our AirBnB hosts if they would cook for us. The sweet lady kindly agreed and made a full spread of at least 15 dishes and charged us only $5 for it. That was the first time I had this dish as a side. I ate it every day thereafter if not twice a day while I was there 😀 Creamy eggplant in a tomato sauce, swimming in olive oil with fresh hot bread, and I just couldn’t have enough of it. This is my humble attempt to recreate this dish from memory, and also a healthier version. Just like the generosity of the Albanians, this dish is very close to my heart.
What you will need:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Eggplants | 750 grams |
| Salt for Eggplants | 1 teaspoon |
| Olive Oil | 2 tablespoons |
| For the Sauce: | |
| Garlic | 50 grams |
| Onion | 350 grams |
| Tomatoes | 400 grams |
| Tomato Paste | 1 tablespoon |
| Olive Oil | 3 tablespoons |
| Parsley | for garnish |
| Salt for sauce | 1 1/2 teaspoon |
| Sugar | 3 teaspoons |
| Kashmiri Chili Powder | 1 tablespoon (for color) |
| Paprika | 1 teaspoon |
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Bake time eggplants: 30 minutes
Bake time dish: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
How to make it:
- Wash and slit the eggplants, keeping the stem intact.
- Salt the eggplants and rub in olive oil. Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until half done. Cook times might vary based on the type of eggplants. Tip: Normally, the eggplants are pan-fried in olive oil. You can use that method as well if you want an authentic taste.
- Finely chop the onion, garlic and tomatoes.
- In a saucepan, add the remaining olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until soft.
- Add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and cook till soft.
- Add salt, sugar, Kashmiri chili powder (optional – I used it for the color), and paprika. Tip: You can add the parsley to the sauce after turning the flame off. However, I like the freshness on top and hence I add it on top as a garnish.
- Now, take a baking tray, and add a layer of the sauce. Add the fried/baked eggplants and pour the remaining tomato sauce on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until it begins to bubble and enjoy with crusty bread.