FRIED POTATO, EGGPLANT MIX (SAKSUKA)

Origin of this dish is southern Turkiye.  In hot summer days, Saksuka with yogurt and garlic sauce and fresh bread for dunking in its juice makes a perfect light dish.

2 large eggplants

4 potatoes

3 cubenella peppers

3 pieces of garlic

salt and pepper

1/2 kg. tomatoes

cooking oil (or olive oil)

• Partially peel the eggplants (see the picture - they look like zebras)
• Fill a large bowl with water.  Add 1 teaspoon salt.
• Cut eggplant in cubes and leave in salted water for 20 minutes.  This removes any bitterness from the eggplants

• Drain the eggplants
• Put some cooking oil in a frying pan.  Add Eggplants a little at a time and fry them until cooked
• Remove from oil and remove access oil.  I use a paper towel lined plate.  I leave them on the paper towel until some of the oil is gone and then move them to a large bowl
• Peel potatoes and cut them into cubes similar to the eggplants and fry them the same way
• Finally wash and cut pepper and fry them
• Add all of the fried vegetables together in a large pot
• Wash and chop the tomatoes.  Put them in a pot.  Add in crushed garlic, salt (optionally some dry basil).  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and cook until some of the juice is gone.  Set aside to cool.
• Combine all of the vegetables and half the tomato sauce
• Move to the serving dish
• Pour remaining tomato sauce on top.  Optionally, you can pour yogurt garlic sauce (see the sauce section for the recipe.  All you need is yogurt and crushed garlic) first and then top with tomato sauce.