Egyptian Eggplant Pickles

Small Eggplant (tall ones can be cut to 2-3 pieces)are stuffed with a mixture of garlic, chilis, and parsly, and pickled in a delicious brine. The pickled eggplant absorbs the garlic and chili flavors like a sponge and end up so flavorful! The stuffed eggplant can be served with most Middle Eastern dishes spicially with Molokhya .

Ingredients:

- 1 large eggplant

- 1 cup vinegar

- 1/2 cup water

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional

How to make pickles of eggplant!

STEP 1: Trim the eggplant stems and make a long slit down the center of each eggplant. Make sure it's deep enough to stuff, but don't go all the way through.

STEP 2: Place eggplant in a small pot, and cover with four cups of boiling water, mixed with ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover and allow to soften for 20-30 minutes. The goal is to get the eggplant soft enough to stuff, but still firm.

STEP 3: Meanwhile, peel and chop three cloves of garlic. Mince three of the serranos and add to the garlic. Chop the parsley, making sure to save some of the longest strands to tie the eggplant shut, after stuffing.

STEP 4: Mix ½ teaspoon of salt into the stuffing mixtures. Once the eggplant are ready, rinse with cold water and gently stuff