A taste of Gaziantep

The recipe for Ali Nazik, Gaziantep’s famous marriage of chargrilled eggplant puree and tender lamb.

Beyza Koca

Ingredients:

Eggplant & Yogurt Puree

• 4 medium size purple eggplants

• 2 cups plain or strained yogurt

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cloves of garlic crushed

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Lamb Meat Topping

• 500 gr chunks of lamb meat

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 onion finely chopped

• 1 tbsp red pepper paste/tapenade

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp water

• 1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Wash and dry the eggplants. Pierce them a few times with a fork to vent during roasting. (It is very important to vent the eggplants during roasting.)

2. Chop the lamb meat into small and bite-sized cubes. In a cast iron pan, melt the butter, add the lamb cubes and sauté with finely chopped onion until tender.

3. Once the lamb meat is tender; add the olive oil, tomato paste, pepper paste, salt, pepper flakes and 3 tbsp of water. Close the pan lid and let the lamb meat simmer gently at low heat for additional 5 minutes.

4. During this time your eggplants should be already roasted. Remove the roasted eggplants from grill and peel their burnt skin.

5. After you peel the roasted eggplants, chop them very well on a plate and set aside.

Gaziantep was close to the epicentre and I felt people I knew and cared about, a place I knew and cared about, were affected. This sense of connection was what we hoped, and continue to hope, people will gain from the project.

As we prepare for Ramadan 2023, we have chosen to share Beyza Koca’s story and recipe from Gaziantep first. At this tragic time, it is one we are sure you will also connect with.

Over the next couple of months, we also plan to share other recipes and stories in AMUST’s Friday newsletters and April and May papers and Guardian Australia will also once again publish a series in its Saturday Lifestyle section, starting on Saturday 18 March 18 ahead of Ramadan.

The whole collection can be found at www.recipesforramadan.com. And via our socials @recipesforramadan on Instagram, @recipesforramadanau on Facebook and YouTube @recipesforramadan13. We’d love to hear from you. Do post your photos and tag @AMUST and @RecipesforRamadan.

Recipes For Ramadan was the winner of the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Award for Best Use of Social and Digital Media.

Jane Jeffes is a producer and director and former head of ABC Religion & Ethics. A UK-Australian dual national she is based in Sydney, Australia.

6. In a bowl, combine yogurt, salt, ground black pepper and olive oil. Add the chopped eggplants and combine the mix very well. This mix (puree) will be the base layer of your Ali Nazik Kebab.

7. Spoon the cooked meat cubes over the top of this puree and drizzle the pan juices over the cooked meat cubes.

8. Sit and enjoy.