Mafrum and Salatim
Aug 8, 2023
"The crown jewel of Libyan Jewish cuisine, mafrum is a meat-stuffed vegetable that is fried and then braised until soft. The most traditional mafrum is made with potato, but my favorite is eggplant. This dish is a labor of love and a guaranteed mess in the kitchen, but so worth it. My family would generally enjoy mafrum during the holidays, and whenever I visit my aunts in Israel, they always make it special for me.
Some of the best parts of this dish are the salatim, salads, to accompany it. Matbucha is a Moroccan tomato and pepper salad. Then there’s a creamy corn salad, a cucumber salad, and always some hot peppers."
Some of the best parts of this dish are the salatim, salads, to accompany it. Matbucha is a Moroccan tomato and pepper salad. Then there’s a creamy corn salad, a cucumber salad, and always some hot peppers."
- Servings
- 9 servings
- Course
- Entree
Tags
Ingredients
For the Mafrum:
- 3 eggplants
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 onions, chopped
- 1 potato, peeled and grated
- 1 large bunch parsley
- 1 large bunch cilantro
- 8 large eggs, divided
- 1½ tablespoons baharat
- 1½ teaspoons ras el hanout
- 1½ teaspoons chicken consommé powder
- 1½ teaspoons hot paprika
- 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1/2–1 cup water, if needed
For the Braising sauce:
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 small potato, diced
- 1 small bunch parsley
- 1 tablespoon baharat
- 1½ teaspoons chicken consommé powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ras el hanout
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
To serve:
- Cooked couscous
- Toasted pine nuts, for garnish
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
- Israeli spicy peppers, for garnish
Instructions
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Cut off the ends of each eggplant and then slice each eggplant into 11/2 inch thick slices. Cut a slit into each piece of eggplant (don’t cut all the way through) to make a sort of eggplant “sandwich bun.” You should have 9 eggplant pieces.
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In a large bowl, combine the meat, onions, potato, herbs, 4 of the eggs, and the seasonings. Stuff the eggplants with the meat mixture.
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In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
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Put the flour in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, whisk together the remaining 4 eggs and the tomato paste. Add ½ cup water and mix well. The tomato paste mixture should have the consistency of a thick tomato soup. If it is too thick, thin it out with more water.
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Dip each mafrum into the tomato paste mixture and then the flour mixture. Add to the hot oil and fry until nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
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To make the braising sauce, in a large Dutch oven, combine the onion, celery, carrot, potato, and parsley. Place the fried mafrum on top. Add the baharat, consommé powder, cinnamon, ras el hanout, black pepper, water, and tomato paste. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 2 hours, until the sauce thickens and the flavors develop. While the mafrum braises, make the salatim.
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Serve the mafrum over the cooked couscous and garnish with pine nuts and parsley. Serve the salatim on the side.
