Acvar is a Turkish interpretation of a traditional Arabic dish. I loved the idea of a salad with baked peppers and aubergines, as I struggle sometimes with ideas of how I can prepare aubergines. It tastes delicious, it looks vibrant and fresh. The dish can also be served as a main, but the quantities must be doubled for 2 servings.

Ingredients for a small bowl of Acvar:

– 1 big aubergine
– 2 red peppers
– 1 red onion
– 2 spoons of olive oil
– 2 garlic cloves
– 1 tsp of sugar
– 1 lemon, juice only
– sea salt and black pepper
– 1/4 tsp chilli flakes

Wash the aubergine and the peppers and put them directly on the gas. If you don’t have a gas cooker, put the veggies under a grill. Turn the veggies so the whole skin becomes moist and they are cooked through. After the aubergine and the peppers are baked, place them in a plastic bag and leave them for 10 minutes. Wash the vegetables in cold water and peel off the skin.

Put the peppers on a chopping board, remove the stalks. Cut them and remove all the seeds. Chop the peppers to a pulp. Chop the aubergine in the same way. Peel the onion and cut it in half lengthways, then chop it finely along the grain. Chop the garlic.

Put the olive oil in a saucepan with the chilli flakes, the onion and the garlic. After the oil is heated, toss in the peppers and the aubergine. Add the lemon juice, the salt and the black pepper. Stir so all the ingredients are combined.
Serve the dish warm or at room temperature with pitta bread. The recipe is not only easy to make, but it’s healthy too.

I made the dish as part of my Taste the World adventure, along with smoked aubergine dip and baked humous for main. For dessert I’ve made the well know Baklava.