Syrian Makdous — Stuffed Baby Aubergines in Oil
Makdous spoils for one reason: moisture. Any water left in the aubergine or the jar will cause mould. The aubergines must drain upside down under a weight for 24 hours after blanching, the jar must be sterilised and completely dry, and the oil must cover every piece.
- Prep
- 120 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 140 min
- Calories
- 180
Photo: QuasarFr — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Makdous is a Syrian autumn preserve eaten all winter at breakfast. It is a dish that demands patience — but the result is worth it, and it keeps for months.
Method
-
1
Choose the aubergines
Pick very small aubergines, around 8 cm, with glossy skin. Larger ones carry more seeds and more water, and spoil faster in storage.
⏱ 10 min -
2
A brief blanch
Remove the stems and boil them in salted water for 10 minutes only, until slightly softened but still firm. Any longer and they collapse when stuffed.
⏱ 13 min -
3
Drain upside down for 24 hours
Slit each one down one side without cutting through, and stack them cut side down in a colander under a weight for 24 hours. This is the single most important step.
⏱ 15 min -
4
Salt the insides
Rub the inside of each one with coarse salt and leave them upside down for another 12 hours. The salt draws out the last of the moisture and preserves.
⏱ 20 min -
5
The filling
Mix the crushed walnuts, garlic, chilli flakes and a little salt. The walnuts should be coarsely crushed, not ground, so they keep their texture.
⏱ 12 min -
6
Stuff them
Rinse off the excess salt and dry them completely with a towel, then fill each one with a teaspoon of the mixture and close the slit.
⏱ 25 min -
7
Pack and submerge
Pack them into a sterilised, completely dry jar and cover them entirely with olive oil, making sure none breaks the surface.
⏱ 12 min -
8
Let them mature
Keep the jar somewhere dark for two weeks before eating, checking the oil level every couple of days and topping it up. It keeps for 6 months.
⏱ 8 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Draining upside down under a weight for 24 hours is what prevents mould.
- Everything bone dry: the aubergines, the jar, the spoon and your hands.
- Any piece above the oil line will spoil and ruin the whole jar.
- Check the oil level every two days for the first fortnight and top it up if it drops.
People also ask
Why does my makdous go mouldy?
Moisture. The aubergines must drain upside down under a weight for 24 hours, then salt for another 12, then be towel-dried. The jar must be sterilised and dry, and the oil must cover every piece.
How long does it keep?
Six months somewhere dark and cool, provided the oil covers everything. After opening, refrigerate it, keep checking the oil level, and always take pieces out with a clean dry spoon.
When can I start eating it?
Two weeks after packing. Makdous needs time for the oil and filling to penetrate the aubergine and for the flavours to settle. Before that the taste is disjointed.
Cook mode
Syrian Makdous — Stuffed Baby Aubergines in Oil
-
1
Choose the aubergines
Pick very small aubergines, around 8 cm, with glossy skin. Larger ones carry more seeds and more water, and spoil faster in storage.
-
2
A brief blanch
Remove the stems and boil them in salted water for 10 minutes only, until slightly softened but still firm. Any longer and they collapse when stuffed.
-
3
Drain upside down for 24 hours
Slit each one down one side without cutting through, and stack them cut side down in a colander under a weight for 24 hours. This is the single most important step.
-
4
Salt the insides
Rub the inside of each one with coarse salt and leave them upside down for another 12 hours. The salt draws out the last of the moisture and preserves.
-
5
The filling
Mix the crushed walnuts, garlic, chilli flakes and a little salt. The walnuts should be coarsely crushed, not ground, so they keep their texture.
-
6
Stuff them
Rinse off the excess salt and dry them completely with a towel, then fill each one with a teaspoon of the mixture and close the slit.
-
7
Pack and submerge
Pack them into a sterilised, completely dry jar and cover them entirely with olive oil, making sure none breaks the surface.
-
8
Let them mature
Keep the jar somewhere dark for two weeks before eating, checking the oil level every couple of days and topping it up. It keeps for 6 months.
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