Cooking instructions

Cut off and discard the stem ends of the eggplants and remove any husk still covering the skin.

Take one eggplants, pinch the skin between your thumb and index finger at the middle fat end and gently detach it from the bulb. Continue pinching, moving upwards to about 1 or 2 cm short of the top, then as far down as you can. Push the loose skin round to the firm side and continue pinching until it is loose all around.

Insert the corer into the cut top as lose to the edge as possible, about 2 or 3 mm inside the skin, and gently push in until it meets no resistance. Take the corer out, insert it again right next to the first insertion and repeat until you have cut a rosette all around the inside.

Hold the bottom end of the eggplants with your fingers, pinch the skin loose and slowly squeeze out the bulb- do this gently, or else the top of the eggplants will split open. Put the bulb on a plate and scrape the inside and bottom of the eggplants with the corer to remove the last pits of bulb, being careful not to pierce the skin.

Plunge the emptied hull in a bowl of cold water so it fills the inside. Core the rest of the eggplants and let soak in the water while you prepare the stuffing.

Wash the rice in two or three changes of cold water. Drain and put in a mixing bowl. Add the minced meat and squeeze the fresh tomatoes with your hands over the meat and rice, extracting as much juice and pulp as you can. Place the skins on the bottom of the pan in which you will cook the stuffed vegetables. If you are using canned tomatoes, use shopped ones and pour straight over the meat and rice. Season with the Adonis Cinnamon, Adonis Allspice, Adonis Black Pepper and salt to taste. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Line the bottom of a saucepan, which should be large enough to take the stuffed eggplants half standing comfortably, with the lamb bones (which should be rinsed under cold water). Spread the sliced or canned tomatoes and hall eggplants pulps (if any) over the bones.

Drain and rinse the eggplants under cold water. Take one and hold it up right, cupping your hand around it. Pick up a little filling with the other hand and gently push it inside the eggplants, using your fingers to force it inside. Every now and then shake the eggplants in a downward gesture to make sure the filling is well inside it (or push the filling in with your little finger). Fill three quarters of the eggplants -the rice will expend as it cooks - and put in the pan with the open end slightly raised.

Continue filling and arranging the eggplants, first around the side of the pan than on the inside - they should all fit comfortably in one half - standing layer. If you have any stuffing left, cook it separately in double its volume of water and serve on the side.

Add water to the pan, until about 2 cm short from the open tops. Add salt to taste, bearing in mind that the stuffing is already seasoned. Cover the pan and place over a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 45 minutes or until the stuffing is done.

Once done, let the eggplants set covered for about 10 minutes before transferring carefully onto a serving dish. Ladle some juice and eggplants pulp (if any) into a sauce boat and serve hot with pita bread, the sauce and a bowl of yoghurt.