THE BEST WAY TO COOK BRINJALS

Brinjals (eggplants or aubergines) are even more common than lamb in Turkish recipes. The best way to cook them is to pierce the skin with a fork and put it directly over fire – either the embers of a barbeque or the gas flame of your stove.

You should stay nearby, turning the brinjal with tongs until the skin is blackened. Let it cool and drip in a colander for 10 minutes, then scrape out the flesh. If you’re not going to eat it straight away, keep it in water into which you have squeezed half a lemon.