Vegetable-Stuffed Eggplants

Wash the eggplants, cut off the stems, and slice them lengthwise like a book. Boil in salted water for about 30 minutes. Remove onto a plate, open them, and let cool. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and roughly chop it with a knife.

Prepare the filling: sauté grated carrot and chopped onion. Then add peeled and seeded tomatoes, deseeded chili pepper (optional—leave seeds if you like it spicier), sweet pepper, and the chopped eggplant flesh. Season with salt, pepper, and your favorite spices (khmeli-suneli works well) and cook until done.

Stuff the eggplants with this vegetable mixture, close them, tie with kitchen string, and place in a baking dish. Pour sauce over them (vegetable oil mixed with garlic).

Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the eggplants again and bake for another 15 minutes.

Your vegetable-stuffed eggplants are ready!