🇱🇧 Lebanon · Food
Sheikh el Mehshi Batinjan
By eatmundo · July 12, 2026
🇱🇧 LBThis exquisite 'King of Stuffed Vegetables' dish features small eggplants stuffed with spiced meat, simmered in a luscious tomato sauce. It is a refined staple of Lebanese home cooking that balances depth and comfort.
Ingredients
check them off as you prepareHow to Make It
- 1
Peel thin vertical stripes off 1kg of eggplants to create a striped appearance.
- 2
Fry the eggplants in 200ml of vegetable oil until they become light golden brown.
- 3
In a separate pan, sauté the 300g of minced lamb with 2 chopped onions until fully browned.
- 4
Carefully slice open each eggplant lengthwise and stuff them generously with the cooked meat mixture.
- 5
Arrange the stuffed eggplants in a wide, shallow pot.
- 6
Pour 500g of crushed fresh tomatoes over the eggplants, adding 200ml of water to cover.
- 7
Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes until the sauce thickens and the eggplant is melt-in-the-mouth tender.
- 8
Garnish with a handful of toasted pine nuts before serving hot with vermicelli rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which type of eggplant is best for Sheikh el Mehshi?+
Small, slender eggplants are ideal because they hold their shape better when hollowed out and stuffed.
Should I fry or bake the eggplants before stuffing them?+
Traditional recipes call for frying until golden brown to achieve a creamy texture, but you can brush them with oil and roast them at 400°F (200°C) for a healthier alternative.
What is the best way to prevent the eggplants from splitting?+
Avoid overstuffing the eggplants with the lamb mixture and make only a single vertical slit along the side to ensure the structure remains intact.
Do I need to peel the eggplants completely?+
You can leave thin strips of peel on to create a striped pattern, which helps the eggplants retain their shape while cooking in the tomato sauce.
🇱🇧 LBMundo Match
Dishes across the world that share Sheikh el Mehshi Batinjan's core ingredients.
