Critical Moments
- •Charring eggplant directly over flame until completely soft and smoky
- •Using generous garlic (don't reduce the amount)
- •Cooking tomatoes until reduced and concentrated
- •Gently incorporating eggs for creamy texture, not scrambling
Char the eggplants
Place whole eggplants directly over a gas flame on your stovetop, or on a very hot grill. Using tongs, turn them every 2-3 minutes until the skin is completely charred and blackened on all sides, and the flesh is utterly soft—collapsed and almost deflated. This takes 15-20 minutes per eggplant depending on size. The eggplant should feel very soft when squeezed with tongs.
Critical Step
The smoky flavor from direct flame charring is what defines Mirza Ghasemi. Oven roasting doesn't achieve the same deep smokiness. The eggplant must be completely soft—undercooked eggplant will be bitter and won't mash properly.
Common Mistakes
- •Not charring enough (missing the smokiness)
- •Not cooking until fully soft (bitter, won't mash)
- •Oven roasting without direct flame (less smoky)
Char the eggplants
Place whole eggplants directly over a gas flame on your stovetop, or on a very hot grill. Using tongs, turn them every 2-3 minutes until the skin is completely charred and blackened on all sides, and the flesh is utterly soft—collapsed and almost deflated. This takes 15-20 minutes per eggplant depending on size. The eggplant should feel very soft when squeezed with tongs.
Critical Step
The smoky flavor from direct flame charring is what defines Mirza Ghasemi. Oven roasting doesn't achieve the same deep smokiness. The eggplant must be completely soft—undercooked eggplant will be bitter and won't mash properly.
Common Mistakes
- •Not charring enough (missing the smokiness)
- •Not cooking until fully soft (bitter, won't mash)
- •Oven roasting without direct flame (less smoky)
Cool and peel the eggplants
Transfer charred eggplants to a colander set over a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the blackened skin—it should slip off easily. Let the flesh drain for another 5 minutes, then roughly chop or mash with a fork. Don't make it too smooth—some texture is traditional.
Cool and peel the eggplants
Transfer charred eggplants to a colander set over a bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the blackened skin—it should slip off easily. Let the flesh drain for another 5 minutes, then roughly chop or mash with a fork. Don't make it too smooth—some texture is traditional.
Prepare the tomatoes
Cut tomatoes in half and grate on the large holes of a box grater, discarding the skin. Alternatively, peel and roughly chop, or use canned crushed tomatoes. You should have about 400ml of tomato pulp.
Prepare the tomatoes
Cut tomatoes in half and grate on the large holes of a box grater, discarding the skin. Alternatively, peel and roughly chop, or use canned crushed tomatoes. You should have about 400ml of tomato pulp.
Sauté the garlic
Heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and turmeric. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don't let it brown too much—garlic becomes bitter when overcooked.
Critical Step
Gilani cuisine is defined by its generous garlic. The garlic should be fragrant and lightly golden, not brown or burnt. Burnt garlic is bitter and will ruin the dish.
Common Mistakes
- •Cooking garlic too long (becomes bitter)
- •Heat too high (garlic burns quickly)
- •Not using enough garlic (not authentic)
Sauté the garlic
Heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and turmeric. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don't let it brown too much—garlic becomes bitter when overcooked.
Critical Step
Gilani cuisine is defined by its generous garlic. The garlic should be fragrant and lightly golden, not brown or burnt. Burnt garlic is bitter and will ruin the dish.
Common Mistakes
- •Cooking garlic too long (becomes bitter)
- •Heat too high (garlic burns quickly)
- •Not using enough garlic (not authentic)
Add tomatoes and cook down
Add the grated tomatoes and tomato paste (if using) to the garlic. Stir well. Cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture has thickened and darkened slightly. The raw tomato smell should be replaced by a rich, cooked tomato aroma.
Critical Step
Cooking the tomatoes down concentrates their flavor and removes excess liquid. Undercooked tomatoes taste raw and acidic. The mixture should be thick enough that a spoon drawn through leaves a trail.
Add tomatoes and cook down
Add the grated tomatoes and tomato paste (if using) to the garlic. Stir well. Cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture has thickened and darkened slightly. The raw tomato smell should be replaced by a rich, cooked tomato aroma.
Critical Step
Cooking the tomatoes down concentrates their flavor and removes excess liquid. Undercooked tomatoes taste raw and acidic. The mixture should be thick enough that a spoon drawn through leaves a trail.
Add the eggplant
Add the mashed eggplant to the tomato mixture. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, allowing the flavors to meld and any remaining liquid to evaporate. The mixture should be thick and cohesive.
Add the eggplant
Add the mashed eggplant to the tomato mixture. Stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, allowing the flavors to meld and any remaining liquid to evaporate. The mixture should be thick and cohesive.
Add the eggs
Reduce heat to medium-low. Lightly beat the eggs and pour over the eggplant mixture. Using a spatula, gently stir and fold the eggs into the mixture—don't scramble them aggressively. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently, until the eggs are just set and have created a creamy, rich texture throughout. The eggs should bind the mixture, not form distinct curds.
Critical Step
The eggs transform the texture from chunky to luscious and creamy. Gentle stirring creates a silky texture. Aggressive scrambling creates dry, distinct egg curds, which is not the goal.
Common Mistakes
- •Heat too high (eggs become rubbery)
- •Stirring too aggressively (scrambled egg texture)
- •Overcooking eggs (dry, not creamy)
- •Not cooking eggs enough (wet, raw texture)
Add the eggs
Reduce heat to medium-low. Lightly beat the eggs and pour over the eggplant mixture. Using a spatula, gently stir and fold the eggs into the mixture—don't scramble them aggressively. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring gently, until the eggs are just set and have created a creamy, rich texture throughout. The eggs should bind the mixture, not form distinct curds.
Critical Step
The eggs transform the texture from chunky to luscious and creamy. Gentle stirring creates a silky texture. Aggressive scrambling creates dry, distinct egg curds, which is not the goal.
Common Mistakes
- •Heat too high (eggs become rubbery)
- •Stirring too aggressively (scrambled egg texture)
- •Overcooking eggs (dry, not creamy)
- •Not cooking eggs enough (wet, raw texture)
Adjust seasoning and serve
Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow serving dish. Mirza Ghasemi is traditionally served warm or at room temperature, spread on a plate and scooped up with fresh bread. It's also excellent alongside rice.
Adjust seasoning and serve
Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow serving dish. Mirza Ghasemi is traditionally served warm or at room temperature, spread on a plate and scooped up with fresh bread. It's also excellent alongside rice.
Traditional presentation
Spread the Mirza Ghasemi on a flat plate or shallow bowl. Optionally, make a small well in the center and add a drizzle of oil or a pat of butter. Serve with plenty of warm bread—lavash, sangak, or barbari. Each diner tears off bread and scoops the mixture.
Traditional presentation
Spread the Mirza Ghasemi on a flat plate or shallow bowl. Optionally, make a small well in the center and add a drizzle of oil or a pat of butter. Serve with plenty of warm bread—lavash, sangak, or barbari. Each diner tears off bread and scoops the mixture.
