Olive Oil-Braised Dried Eggplant Dolma | Meatless Winter Recipe

Untie the eggplants and rinse off the dust under running water. Submerge them in warm water that does not burn your finger and weigh them down with a plate. Soak for no more than 12–15 minutes; dried eggplants have thinner walls than dried peppers and absorb water quickly. They are ready when the edges bend without cracking. Drain them immediately.

Heat half the olive oil. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until translucent without browning it. Toast the pine nuts until pale golden, then add the tomato paste and stir until its raw aroma is gone. Add the rinsed and drained rice, currants, mint, allspice, cinnamon, and salt, then remove the pot from the heat. Let the filling cool until lukewarm.

Gently squeeze the eggplants in your palm to drain them. Use a 4 ml measure to spoon in the filling without pressing at the opening, leaving one-third of each eggplant empty. The filling will not hold together on its own without ground meat, so gently pinch the opening closed with your fingers.

Spread any pieces of eggplant that broke off during soaking over the bottom of the pot. Arrange the dolma in a single layer, openings facing up, packed snugly together. Mix the remaining olive oil with the water and pomegranate molasses, then pour it over the eggplants. Cover with an inverted plate. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 40 minutes. The dolma is ready when the liquid has reduced, oil rises to the surface, and the eggplant walls are tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove the pot from the heat and leave it covered so the dolma can settle in its own steam. Once it has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a serving dish; the walls can tear if you move the dolma while hot. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and serve cold.