Imam bayildi
Encyclopedia
Imam bayildi one of the most notable Turkish
zeytinyağlı (olive oil
) dishes, is braised eggplant stuffed with onion
, garlic
and tomato
es. It is a variation of Karnıyarık
, which additionally contains minced beef
.
It is a vegetarian meze
dish, which consists of eggplant stuffed with onion, garlic, and tomatoes, then simmered in olive oil. It is served cold.
Imam bayildi is also well known in Iran
, Bulgaria
, Greece
and by Western Armenians by the Turkish name. It is generally known in the Arab world
as imam bayouldi. In Greece it is usually served hot.
(priest), who swooned with pleasure at the flavor when presented with this dish by his wife, although other accounts suggest he fainted at the cost of the ingredients or the amount of oil used to cook it.
Another folktale relates that an imam married the daughter of an olive oil merchant. Her dowry consisted of twelve jars of the finest olive oil, with which she prepared each evening eggplant cooked in that oil and with tomatoes and onions. On the thirteenth day, there was no eggplant dish at the table. When informed that there was no more olive oil, the imam fainted.
's animated film Ratatouille
, the dish of ratatouille
served to the food critic Anton Ego was based on confit byaldi
, a version of imam bayildi.
Turkish cuisine
Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including that of western Europe...
zeytinyağlı (olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
) dishes, is braised eggplant stuffed with onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
, garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
and tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
es. It is a variation of Karnıyarık
Karniyarik
Karnıyarık is a Turkish dish consisting of eggplant stuffed with a mix of sautéed chopped onions, garlic, black pepper, tomatoes, parsley and ground meat. A related dish is the İmam Bayıldı which does not include meat, and is served cold....
, which additionally contains minced beef
Ground beef
Beef mince, ground beef, hamburger meat , hamburg or minced meat is a minced meat food, made of beef finely chopped by a mincer. It is used in many recipes including hamburgers and cottage pie...
.
It is a vegetarian meze
Meze
Meze or mezze is a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as dinner or lunch, with or without drinks. In Levantine cuisines and in the Caucasus region, meze is served at the beginning of all large-scale meals....
dish, which consists of eggplant stuffed with onion, garlic, and tomatoes, then simmered in olive oil. It is served cold.
Imam bayildi is also well known in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and by Western Armenians by the Turkish name. It is generally known in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
as imam bayouldi. In Greece it is usually served hot.
Origin of the name
The name supposedly derives from a tale of a Turkish imamImam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
(priest), who swooned with pleasure at the flavor when presented with this dish by his wife, although other accounts suggest he fainted at the cost of the ingredients or the amount of oil used to cook it.
Another folktale relates that an imam married the daughter of an olive oil merchant. Her dowry consisted of twelve jars of the finest olive oil, with which she prepared each evening eggplant cooked in that oil and with tomatoes and onions. On the thirteenth day, there was no eggplant dish at the table. When informed that there was no more olive oil, the imam fainted.
In popular culture
In PixarPixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
's animated film Ratatouille
Ratatouille (film)
Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
, the dish of ratatouille
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. The full name of the dish is ratatouille niçoise.- Origin :...
served to the food critic Anton Ego was based on confit byaldi
Confit byaldi
Confit byaldi is a variation on the traditional French dish ratatouille by French chef Michel Guérard.-History:The name is a play on the Turkish dish "İmam bayıldı", which is more of a stuffed eggplant. The dish has appeared sporadically on menus in France and the United States ever since.The...
, a version of imam bayildi.
See also
- Turkish cuisineTurkish cuisineTurkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including that of western Europe...
- KarnıyarıkKarniyarikKarnıyarık is a Turkish dish consisting of eggplant stuffed with a mix of sautéed chopped onions, garlic, black pepper, tomatoes, parsley and ground meat. A related dish is the İmam Bayıldı which does not include meat, and is served cold....
- Buddha Jumps Over the WallBuddha jumps over the wallBuddha Jumps Over the Wall, or fó tiào qiáng, is a variety of shark fin soup in Cantonese and Fujian cuisine. Since its creation during the Qing Dynasty , the dish has been regarded as a Chinese delicacy known for its rich taste, usage of various high-quality ingredients and special manner of cooking...
, a Chinese dish which was said to had tempted monks