🇱🇧 Lebanon · Food
Sheikh El Mahshi
By eatmundo · July 11, 2026
This 'King of Stuffed Vegetables' features delicate eggplants filled with spiced meat and toasted nuts. It is traditionally served in a silky garlic-yogurt sauce that perfectly balances the rich stuffing.
Ingredients
check them off as you prepareHow to Make It
- 1
Peel the 1kg eggplants in alternating strips and fry them in a deep pan with 200ml oil until golden and soft.
- 2
In a large skillet, brown 500g minced lamb over medium-high heat until no longer pink.
- 3
Add the 2 finely chopped onions to the meat and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Stir in 50g pine nuts and cook until they turn a light golden color, being careful not to burn them.
- 5
Make a slit down the center of each fried eggplant and gently stuff them with the lamb mixture using a small spoon.
- 6
Prepare a sauce by whisking 1kg yogurt with 1 crushed garlic clove and 1 tbsp cornstarch until completely smooth.
- 7
Place stuffed eggplants into the sauce and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, ensuring the flavors meld without the yogurt curdling.
- 8
Garnish with a handful of fresh cilantro before serving warm to guests who will truly appreciate this royal dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best type of eggplant for Sheikh El Mahshi?+
Use small, slender eggplants known as 'baby' or 'Japanese' eggplants to ensure they fit perfectly in the pan and hold their shape when stuffed.
How should I prepare the eggplants before stuffing them?+
Peel the eggplants in alternating strips to create a striped appearance, then fry or bake them until they are just softened before cutting a slit for the filling.
Can I substitute the minced lamb with another meat?+
Yes, ground beef or a mix of beef and lamb is a common alternative, though lamb provides the most authentic, rich flavor traditional to the dish.
How long should the dish simmer in the tomato sauce?+
Simmer the stuffed eggplants in the sauce for about 20 to 30 minutes on low heat to allow the flavors to meld without the eggplants falling apart.
Mundo Match
This dish doesn't have a strong Mundo Match yet — but here's the closest ingredient overlap we found across the world's cuisines.
