Turkish Style Şakşuka aka Shakshuka w/🍅 Sauce + Fried 🍆 MIND BLOWING 🤯 + Eggplant Cooking TIPS 🔍

Today is all about eggplants because I think eggplants can be as famous and addictive as potatoes with good cooking. Unlike potatoes, eggplants can be unbearable if you don’t know how to treat, so I will give you the tips and tricks about cooking eggplants and making a great Turkish shakshuka. The word meaning of shakshuka is “all mixed up” and unlike the other cultures, in Turkey, Shakshuka is not an egg dish. It’s a vegan meze with fried eggplants and pepper (and sometimes potatoes too) with garlic-tomato sauce, shared around a big table with friends and family in summers!
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Servings: 2-4
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
3 eggplants, peeled strips off and diced
5 green peppers, sliced into circles (2 diced green bell peppers works fine as well)
Salt
3-4 cups frying oil of your choice
Tomato sauce
6 small tomatoes, finely grated (400 ml (1+ ¾ cups) of tomato puree would do great)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 pinches of salt
A pinch of black pepper
A good pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
To garnish
2 sprigs of parsley, chopped
• Pour the frying oil in a large frying pan and turn the heat on to medium-high.
• Peel the strips off the eggplants and dice while the oil is heating. This way you will be able to fry them before the flesh turns to brown.
• Dip the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil. If there are bubbles coming out of the spoon immediately, the oil is hot enough for frying. If there are not bubbles yet, heat a little more.
• Add the eggplants in the pan and fry until brown. Don’t take them out if they still have green-yellow colours and stir occasionally.
• While eggplants are frying, you can make the tomato sauce. Cut the tops of the tomatoes and finely grate. This way you will use all the flesh and don’t have to peel them before grating.
• Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan on medium heat and add in the garlic.
• Then, add in the tomato puree before the garlic changes colour. Garlic can taste bitter if over fried.
• Season with salt and black pepper.
• Add in the sugar and vinegar. You can add some hot pepper if you like.
• Mix it well and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
• Place a sieve on a large bowl and transfer the fried eggplants in it. Season with salt and shake it well. Sieve works way better than paper towels in terms of draining excess oil and keeping them crispy.
• Turn the heat down to low and fry the peppers as well. Unlike the eggplants, fry them just for 30 seconds, we want them to keep their bright green colour instead of turning brown.
• Transfer the peppers on the sieve and season with salt. Set aside with eggplants for a couple of minutes to slightly cooldown.
• Mix the tomato sauce with the eggplants and peppers in a large bowl. Transfer to a dish and garnish with chopped parsley. Your amazing, vegan şakşuka is ready. It is great when it is hot but if you be patient and wait until it cooldowns, the taste will settle and be much greater. Even the next day you won’t believe how amazing it becomes as it waits. Place a slice of white cheese (feta) on a piece of bread and top with şakşuka, you are in heaven with each bite!
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[@Lunatik21]

I love eggplant, I love Turkish cooking, and I love Refika's recipes so this is amazing! Thank you for uploading!

[@gailking4586]

I don’t understand people who don’t like eggplant. It is my favourite 🤤 Sending love from Beautiful British Columbia, Canada. I love watching you Refika. 💕You are amazing!

[@1vtmom966]

You're telling me I may actually like eggplant? I'm listening!

[@destinoitinerante]

Your idea of making a Turkish recipe channel in English is really cool. In this way, we foreigners can also learn delicious Turkish cuisine. Thanks.

[@MarvInChatt]

0:21 this is proper English in the restaurant industry. It’s a simple marker that comforts me to know that halfway across the world, you all are my people! I’ve seen every single one of your English videos and greatly enjoy everybody on the channel. Cheers from North Carolina, USA!

[@zahilyquiles8384]

Şakşuka is one of my favorite turkish dishes. Actually, I drive one hour to eat in a Turkish cafe here in Puerto Rico. This cafe is owned by a turkish guy who fell in love with a puertorrican woman. I love almost all dishes in that cafe. 😋 In other note, Refika, pink suits you!

[@betty8444]

Vegan Turkish meals ROCK! Love from Makedonija 🇲🇰❤️🇹🇷

[@carollyvers5154]

Until I found your channel, Turkey was not on my top 10 list of places to visit. Now it is #1! I love that Sara Moulton taught you something. Watching her taught me to cook long ago.

[@elz222]

It looks delicious, in Spain we also eat eggplant cooked in many ways. Yes, please keep making videos with eggplant recipes. After watching today's, I will never put it in salted water before cooking it again. Thank you, Refika, for being so kind and so nice, I love your videos.

[@Refika]

I am so glad ❤❤🥰🥰

[@user-xz4eq2ci6h]

Agree want to see some unknown Turkish eggplant recipes from Refika maybe Cypriot

[@jupiter9851]

@@Refika Eggplant kebab 🤲 Maybe the time has come.

[@hopegold883]

Start now, and keep going every summer till you’ve done all of those 100s of Turkish eggplant recipes. ❤️

[@SoulStitch1111]

I fell in love with Baba Ganoush years ago. It was my first real love of egg plant.

[@Inanna08]

You can tell the gender of the eggplant by checking the bottom. The male eggplants have a line where the flower blossom was; the female eggplants have a circle. The benefit of knowing this is that the male eggplants have much more seeds, so they aren't ideal for dishes like Babaganoush or steamed eggplant. #TheMoreYouKnow

[@RJisBack24]

This is an Italian bit of knowledge!

[@ReneeHits]

Thanks! I was at a market and this guy started to talk to my daughter and I explaining green peppers and eggplant letting us know the different and taste.

[@jeskehendriks]

How does this work? The female part of a flower needs to be fertilized by male pollen, then the flower develops into a fruit (eggplant, in this case). Meaning that all fruits come from female flowers...

[@Inanna08]

@@jeskehendriks Eggplants are cross-pollinating and have male AND female flowers that fruit! ;) So, all fruits of eggplants can come from either a male or a female flower! 🍆

[@jeskehendriks]

@@Inanna08 How can male flowers fruit? Where do the egg cells come from for fertilization? It's only the male 'sperm' cells that travel from plant to plant in the form of pollen. As a biologist, I was very sceptic. I've looked it up and it appears to be a myth that aubergine-fruits have genders.

[@asifainthekitchen1457]

I love turkish eggplant recipes 😋💖😍

[@stefimandi186]

In my languagge we used to call eggplant "törökparadicsom", that means Turkish Tomato. In some fancy restaurants they still name it so. Here we mostly just slice it and bread-coat for deep frying - very poor indeed, I never do that with this wonderful vegetable. All my eggplant dishes are Turkish or Arabish recipes, modified some way to my taste and of course the available ingredients. Now we have mint, I dried some and when we have delicius fresh tomato, will try your shakshuka. Thank you for the recpe :-).

[@carmenqueasy]

Is that Hungarian? I had not heard about this before, thanks for that little food trivia and greetings from the UK ☺️

[@stefimandi186]

@@carmenqueasy yes, it is :-)

[@user-xz4eq2ci6h]

You make paprikash with eggplant right what other dishes?

[@stefimandi186]

@@user-xz4eq2ci6h Right, we cook paprikás. Saute some chopped white onion, season with salt and sweet red paprika powder. When the paprika paints the oil red, add the cubed eggplants and cook till soft. Serve with steamed rice or boiled potato. Not bad, but nothing near to those savoury eggplant dishes of the Mediterranean area and the Near East. We also make some bread spread, but not too many people: grill the whole eggplant till black. Remove the skin and blend the creamy flesh till smooth. Season with salt, pepper, garlic or onion. Some people add mayo. This spread is also quite good, but that's all 3 ways we can call "traditional". (the third is the breaded deep fry) And, not too many people. Here we should really add more eggplants to our diet. To do so, we must learn new recipes. Or just adopt some from those who really has large variety of eggplant recipes.

[@tanyahouston5635]

Yes, more eggplant recipes, please. I am trying to eat more eggplant. Every time I eat it I want to cook more dishes with eggplant because it is so tasty. 🍆

[@blumchen587]

please do more videos with eggplant

[@NBT-zj7jl]

Please more aubergine recipes . Watching you from UK.

[@darche2471]

Çok güzeeel Abla😄 I love your recipies! Greetings from Serbia🇷🇸🇹🇷

[@peggyrogers7012]

When I watch you cook I feel like I am cooking with family. Your presence is warm, engaging and fun. Your food is full of flavor and beautifully presented. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us.

[@Refika]

You are so welcome!

[@bemusedindian8571]

Finally eggplants. Thanks Refika. No cuisine does eggplants better than Turkish and I hope you go into more of this.

[@masuganut2082]

Less than a minute in and I’m laughing “Looks more like a he” 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I LOVE eggplant (have a damn hard time growing it in our garden) Thank you dear. Stay safe ❤️🙏🏻 Love from USA Kat

[@marystestkitchen]

You are just the BEST food presenter!!! And that eggplant looks to die for!!

[@Refika]

you guys are the best ❤

[@annaanna598]

Your videos are very motivating , I just made this and l added zucchini, was so good . God bless you❤️

[@rosacastro505]

you are so right and she is so informative, fun and smart. Love this channel

[@nozee77]

She is amazing, and you are too, Mary! 🥰

[@sonja3276]

Hello Mary, it's really to die for. I made it for a Family Grillparty and everybody loved it. (I just need more Eggplant, because by frying so much Pieces where fallen in my mouth 😂 )

[@aliciaaviles-quinones1649]

I cannot believe my luck!! An eggplant recipe from Refika!!!! Thank you so much!

[@mariapaulastepanian9930]

Oh my God! I just go crazy every time Refika posts a recipe! I love Refika with all my heart!

[@silvanarossotto4323]

your recipes are amazing rafika. thanks from argentina

[@alshimaaeleffish3205]

In Egypt we call it eggplant with vinegar and garlic 😋 we but the garlic and after a minute or so we add the vinegar. And then we but the tomato 🍅 sauce .the smell of the garlic with vinegar is great and delicious 😋

[@torymiddlebrooks]

Bless you! I was looking for a vegan recipe for a date night with my glorified girlfriend and this pops up at exactly the same time!

[@cmbaz1140]

i smell a delicious eggplant series around the corner...

[@alexbaro]

This settles it, it's Shakshuka for dinner tonight. Much love from California!

[@hildawheeler2598]

Yes! More eggplant recipes! You explain everything so well and make it seem so simple. You know so much about and have so much experience to share. Love from Canada 🇨🇦

[@aisirirkvan]

I'm Indian and I fell in love with middle eastern food when I visited UAE and Egypt. You've sold me on Turkish food, every video makes my mouth water. Once allowed, I'm travelling to Turkey to have everything I can. ❤️❤️❤️

[@claireheberle4123]

Refika & Bahar’s malicious eye... thanks a lot for eggplants so delicious ! There is a fashion in Armenia (since 10 or 15 years I think) to dig ancient recipes & try them again... maybe it’s all over the world ? Do you have a ancien recipe (that you’d hear from in a village ?) I find those recipes interesting because usually you get to learn a lot about how people lived, got together, sang & danced... Thanks again for your videos I love them & my children know you too : when they ask where does the recipe come from: from my smile they say : Refikaaaaaa ;) ! 🤩

[@farac9332]

It will be awesome to share some of those ancient recipes with us

[@esra2146]

Thanks for the chemistry lesson,too:))

[@martyrose]

Fabulous camera work Bahar! 👍💜

[@samanthabotha3456]

In South Africa it is called "Brinjal". We love eggplants/ brinjal! Thank you for this!!! I will make it asap.

[@DrBrunoRecipes]

Lovely recipe 👌🏻 Greetings from Scotland ♥️ Have a wonderful day everyone 🌻

[@suadaljutic4486]

I love listen when you cook, you are special person!

[@MichaelaFreeman]

Yes, please! More eggplant recipes! I'm addicted.

[@mariaoropallo6853]

when one cooks eggplant well, one becomes the star. THANK you for this specific tutorial. Will be making it soon. More eggplant recipes would be welcome.

[@TheSlavChef]

Love it, the eggplant, the sauce, perfection!! Fun fact we have a "kuchek" where they sing "Шак-Шак Шука, дюнера е тука", which translates to "Shak-shak shuka, the doner is here" :D

[@Spikypotato.]

Hii slav chef👋🏼👋🏼

[@TheSlavChef]

@@Spikypotato. Heyyy!

[@sandya2948]

Oh happy day! I opened my subscriptions and there you were! Me with an eggplant sitting on the counter, and tomato purée in the fridge. I made your recipe as I watched your video, pausing to grab ngredients🤣( didn’t even prewatch it!) Did I have sheep cheese in the fridge? Yes I did. So I just had the tastiest saucy eggplant on cheese and I am doing a happy dance. You are delightful and I love you!

[@spanishtranslator]

Refika mocking the Bahar's vegan line was priceless

[@anahidkassabian4471]

This looks fab--can't wait to make it. Please make an English Imam Bayilde recipe? And also my grandmother used to make batlijan turshu *eggplant pickle) with a stuffing of coriander seeds and some green herbs, and then the baby eggplants tied up. Do you know that one, too, by any chance? I wouldn't mind seeing that eggplant pilaf, either :)

[@andreacontreras2278]

Yes, please more recipes! Recipes with zucchini (courgettes) would also be great 😊! My family finds them boring but I’m pretty sure it‘s not the zucchinis’ fault! As always, thank you!

[@sandy-cd6zk]

Refika!!! Thank you so much for your beautiful recipes. I listen to all your videos, both in English and Turkish. I can understand & speak Turkish but can't write well...sorry. I lived in Istanbul for 12 years and my husband is from Turkey. Five of my eight children were born in Istanbul. Our family loves your recipes. I would love to meet you one day when we visit Istanbul again. My husband and I have a very large garden and we are growing many eggplant;, how can I freeze or preserve them? And more eggplant recipes please!

[@janetmackinnon3411]

So that's tomorrow's lunch solved! Thyank you again.

[@suadaljutic4486]

I would love to more eggplant recipes, please!

[@greatboniwanker]

I love how you often refer to foods (and even prepared dishes) as "She" - no need to apologize 😍 ... the eggplant [emoji] became a whole thing ...

[@janevanskike2101]

My momma used to fry it for us. So good. Then I went to a Persian picnic after work with my friend Rachel! A beautiful woman arrived late and she had put eggplant in a baking dish and put tomatoes, onions and olive oil and I. Was hooked. It didn’t last long either. We scooped it up and ate with gusto! Yummmmmmmy

[@estellealtin2485]

Refika, you thought me how to cook for my Turkish husband. I had never eaten eggplant before but now it's one of my favourites. Thank you so much

[@benedettobruno1669]

In Italian language too, this vegetable is feminine (la melanzana) although as you correctly point out it looks like a he.

[@suraghassan1689]

Eggplants are my FAVORITES 🤩 the dish looks delicious 🤤 more eggplant dishes

[@Bobbnoxious]

Bahar: "Is it a she?" Refika: (holds eggplant at a suggestive angle) "Looks more like a HE" Me: dying :-D

[@martyrose]

It's said , if the scar on the blossom end is small and round it will have less seeds and be sweeter than one with a scar that is larger and more elongated. This is how the male and female thing came about but all fruits are female.

[@TheNinnyfee]

And then later, when she talked about preventing browning by putting the cut eggplant, Refika hit "her" repeatedly...😄😄😄 In connection to the intro I couldn't keep my face straight. 😄❤

[@GGTanguera]

Actually there is "she" and "he" eggplant. Female eggplant has more seeds and its its good for certain dishes.

[@izaskuncaro5662]

Eggplant in spanish es la berenjena, is a she

[@minebosman2809]

@@GGTanguera really!? I learned something today. Thank you.

[@JojoLobello]

It's delicious! I just did it and absolutely love it. I'm Bulgarian in Canada and we have only 3 kind of eggplant - like little ball, skinny and long and the most common with the belly. In Bulgaria we call it патладжан "patladjan". Refika I love your recipes, I love you and your crew. To be honest, sometimes I watch you when I feel down and your energy is magical!

[@millap779]

Looks awesome! We add roasted bell peppers, onions and carrots to that. I love it with sour cream.

[@singingmusicmel]

I am so enjoying your channel. I want to plan a trip to Turkey and get lessons. Or you all come here and I'll set up a big class in CA wine country!!

[@normawingo5116]

You are all amazing, yes more eggplants, 🙌🙌🙌

[@dmbthegurl]

I like eggplant but haven’t tried cooking with it nearly enough. That is about to change, thanks for the inspiration! I would also be interested in seeing some of your favourite places to eat in Istanbul. When it’s safe of course.

[@Refika]

Lovely idea! Thanks ❤ and let me know if you try the recipe!

[@mariasuarez4777]

It is 15:30 in Santiago, Chile. I have just finish my lavash bread, it is very nice (not round, but very nice), I had it with onions and red pepers. The berenjenas (eggplant) looks very nice, love from Chile 🇨🇱

[@kreysas]

Dear Refika, In Izmir we add cubed and fried potatoes to Shakshuka too. Your version is just as mouth watering as well but I would highly recomend you to try it with potatoe as an additional ingredient. You are going to love it. 🤤 Also Thank you for another phenomanel, tasty, mouth watering recipe and all the beneficial scientific information behind them all. As always Refika never dissappoints! Her recipes as well 👌

[@Refika]

❤❤🥰🥰

[@alexandraalbarracin9639]

Yes, please! More eggplant recipes. All the recipes you showed at the beginning of the video look delicious 😍

[@lunaali6032]

I have shared with my friends and my children and they love It You are the best teacher to follow We love u

[@fareezaghany9213]

I would definitely appreciate more eggplant recipes. Eggplants are common around the world so we are always looking for new recipes to use them.

[@bhavs304]

Tried this today and it tasted soooo good. Love your channel

[@mauriziagiusti1559]

Also in Italy the aubergines are used a lot, during the summer we have some recipes...troppo buone!! Your recipe is so mhhhh, enjoyable.

[@2SaltyRecipes]

Egg plants are AWESOME. Eggplant salad its all you need. BUT always in need for more recipes

[@brittabernardi453]

I love eggplant! And tomatoes with eggplant are an unbeatable team. The only thing I have not tried yet, that is the Arabic jam made from eggplant. I'll try that in the summer when I can get the nice round thick eggplants from Sicily. I live in Germany. It's not so easy there.

[@blessyfrancis6029]

I love love eggplants too. Im Indian and we have so many recipes all so different and delish and we call them as brinjal. I can eat this vegetable fried steam poached , in a curry however. I can eat it 365 days without getting fed up. 😋😋

[@AjitJoshi686]

We slit the egg plant garlic is stuffed just in skin and roasted on gas. It gives interesting flavour

[@ro2670]

I planted two eggplant plants in my summer garden and I’m going to start another. Keep the eggplant recipes coming. I’m tuned in.

[@naheedmohsinnamra3300]

Wow that Ottoman copper plate with eggplant dish . Tooooooo good. Love it.

[@Princetheone.]

If I already haven’t said, U R such a precious treasure in culinary world ‼️I adore you and your shows. I miss Turkey and its charms 🤗😘

[@pratyakhona]

Great to see a vegetarian recipe👍will try this out for my husband who loves eggplant :-)

[@noonejoong7862]

Eggplant + minced meat + tomato with Turkish Style Rice 😋😋😋

[@heersyal2454]

I should never, ever visit Refika's kitchen straight after dinner! Alhmd, I'm full, but I could definitely polish off a platter of this şakşuka! Could we see an eggplant-aubergine dish served with qeema? That just might be my favourite dish! Thank you for the educational treats! Now, I'm hungry again ...

[@Christinaanncat]

Yes! More 🍆 recipes. As always Refika’s Kitchen is amazing. Sending love to everyone from small town USA

[@mementomori4266]

Refika dünyaya patlıcandan nasıl yemek yapılır öğreteceksin vallahi insanlar senden daha fazla patlıcan yemeği istiyor tebrik ediyorum gurur kaynağımızsın 👏👏👏👏

[@rogle25]

I love shakshuka but haven’t eaten it since going vegan. I am so happy that you’ve shared this recipe and can’t wait to try it! Also, I just want to say how much I enjoy the shots of the city that are included in these videos. Obviously, the food is the focus but these added elements don’t go unnoticed or unappreciated!

[@sudhaghia290]

Hi Refika! You are just the best! More eggplant recipes please, I love eggplants.

[@michellefg5197]

Yes please more eggplant recipes - I love eggplant but you are right - it has to be cooked properly. Thank you Refika and team! ❤️❤️

[@MonicaGz]

I learned how to cook by watching Sara Moulton when she had her live cooking show. It was a "cook along" and she would take questions as she cooked. I still watch her show on Public Television and that was the first time I saw you! That was a good episode and I recognized you when I started watching this show on KZbin. I'd love to see Sara on your show some time. That would be so awesome! Thanks for always teaching me something new on Saturday nights.

[@Refika]

Ooooo such a good memory.. she is a very very valuanle person.. hope one day we do it..

[@ReneeHits]

Thanks for always taking the time to explain different ways to cook or Preparing different foods.

[@martinjonink6457]

Absolutely.... Love eggplant recipes! The summer (grill) season is starting in Holland so looking forward to more eggplant ideas. And if you have the time.... your idea of making the best ezme side dish ever 😉

[@dinavara2581]

Yes please more Aubergine recipes. I have a special love for them 🥰

[@ohillbilly]

I like Shakshuka. Never thought about adding eggplant to it. Thanks!

[@Dddezzz]

More eggplant recipes please🙏

[@pixieblush]

This looks absolutely delicious! Love that it also is accidentally vegan! Please do more vegan or vegetarian recipes or at least recipes that you can veganize! ❤️🥰

[@sofiapeti2876]

Can't wait to come Turkwy and learn from you in a live class 🧡

[@radwaibrahim9276]

Hi Refika ❤ in Alexandria, Egypt we like to eat this dish especially with fried fish. I really wish to see all of those eggplant recipes you've mentioned in your future videos. Lots if love !!❤❤❤

[@MarwaMorgan]

Love this so much! Reminds of the Egyptian version of Mosaka'a, which is sometimes served with meat and sometimes as a vegetarian dish.

[@Refika]

We call that Musakka in Turkish 🤤Yummy recipe!

[@beverliedunlap2770]

Yes, please do more eggplant recipes. I love eggplant.

[@aliciaaviles-quinones1649]

Amazon in the US is now selling Refika's book for $31 dollars.

[@cryinglebron5587]

I love egg plants and I totally love this recipe. My mouth has already started to water 💦

[@gufa7963]

Turkish eggplant recipes are the best! Thanks Refika for sharing. If i can find some sivribiber .. ahh ahh 😅😅

[@rachelwise148]

One of your best cooking shows. The editing, and a more serious but lite tone presentation was spot on. Will go to Esty page to see the spoons, and drool over that knife again. Keep up the great work, Refika and team!

[@Refika]

It's out of stock for a little while but they'll be back real soon 🤓

[@remuswalks3192]

I would really love in the future for you to do a video on sharing food: how to think through a menu for your guests, when to prepare certain dishes and what to prepare when people arrive. Just all the tips and thoughts would be helpful. It can be stressful to get used to cooking for others.

[@universoulhealing]

I love listening to you, and your recipes!🙏💞

[@christinanicely3600]

Yes! Been hoping for the eggplant video!

[@faribaebrahimi7872]

Other than the delicious foods that you make, I love watching you talk and explain and make the food. You are funny and I love love love your Turkish accent.

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

Male aubergines have fewer seeds. An easy way of remembering is 'dots not slots'. Thanks again for all your glorious recipes.

[@grilledcheeseandsoup1652]

I love all the education you provide not just the recipe. I adore your channel. Thank you to everyone who helps with the videos.