Suzanne Zeidy, Rawah Badrawi

Pickled Aubergines

Betingan Mekhalil

Preparation info
  • Serves

    4

    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
Egypt: Recipes and stories from an ancient land
Egypt

By Suzanne Zeidy and Rawah Badrawi

Published 2026

  • About

At Port Said’s fish market, a father-son duo run a pickle stall that attracts big crowds queuing up to fill bags with the colourful selections. Pickled aubergines (eggplants) are special in Port Said; their vibrant flavour complements grilled fish perfectly.

Ingredients

  • 1 beetroot
  • 3 chilli peppers
  • 3 tbsp salt

Method

Boil the beetroot for 45 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Let it cool, then peel and roughly slice. Set aside.

Cut off the tops of the chilli peppers and score the chillies vertically.

In a medium pot, bring 1.25l (44fl oz/5½ cups) water to a boil and add the salt. Add the aubergines and cook for exactly 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, then reduce the heat to medium a