iraqidinner

Tepsi Baytinijan

Name: Tepsi Baytinijan
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: iraqi
Ingredients: 3 large aubergines, sliced 1.5 cm thick; 3 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1.5 cm thick; 500 g minced lamb; 1 large onion, sliced into rings; 4 medium tomatoes, sliced; 2 large green peppers, sliced into rings; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 200 ml passata or crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp ground allspice; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 4 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying); 1 tbsp olive oil

Layered aubergine, potato, lamb, and tomato bake — Iraq's comforting tray-roasted family classic.

Prep

30 min

Cook

75 min

Servings

Difficulty

Medium

★★★★★

4.8(932 ratings)

#aubergine#lamb#bake#iraqi#family#comfort-food#tray-bake

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About This Recipe

Tepsi Baytinijan — literally 'aubergine in a tray' in Iraqi Arabic — is one of the most beloved home-cooked dishes in Iraq. Thick slices of aubergine and potato are fried until golden, then layered in a deep baking tray with spiced minced or sliced lamb, tomatoes, onions, and green peppers. The whole assembly is baked until everything melds into a rich, fragrant, slightly caramelised bake that is scooped and served with steaming Iraqi rice and tangy tomato sauce. It is the quintessential Iraqi family Sunday lunch, warming, deeply satisfying, and redolent of cumin and allspice.

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 largeaubergines, sliced 1.5 cm thick
3 largepotatoes, peeled and sliced 1.5 cm thick
500 gminced lamb
1 largeonion, sliced into rings
4 mediumtomatoes, sliced
2 largegreen peppers, sliced into rings
3 clovesgarlic, minced
1 tbsptomato paste
200 mlpassata or crushed tomatoes
1 tspground allspice
1 tspground cumin
1/2 tspground cinnamon
2 tspsalt
1 tspblack pepper
4 tbspvegetable oil (for frying)
1 tbspolive oil

Instructions

1
Salt and drain the aubergine
Salt aubergine slices generously and leave in a colander 20 minutes. Pat dry. This removes bitterness and excess moisture.
2
Fry aubergine and potato
Heat vegetable oil and fry aubergine slices in batches until golden on both sides. Repeat with potato slices. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt.
3
Season the lamb
Mix minced lamb with garlic, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, and pepper.
4
Layer the tray
Grease a deep baking tray. Layer: potato slices, aubergine slices, meat, onion rings, green pepper rings, tomato slices. Mix tomato paste into passata and pour evenly over the top. Drizzle with olive oil.
5
Bake
Bake uncovered at 190°C for 60–70 minutes until the top is well caramelised and the juices are bubbling and slightly reduced.
6
Serve
Serve straight from the tray, scooped onto plates of basmati rice or with flatbread to mop up the rich juices.

Pro Tips

→
Salting and drying the aubergine before frying is essential to prevent a soggy bake.
→
For extra depth, brown the minced lamb in a pan before layering.
→
The top layer should caramelise noticeably — do not cover with foil.

Variations

•
Vegetarian Tepsi: omit the meat and add sliced courgette and chickpeas to the layers.
•
Spicier version: add diced chilli or chilli flakes to the tomato sauce.

Storage

Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. Reheats very well in the oven at 160°C for 20 minutes.

History & Origin

Tepsi Baytinijan is considered a quintessentially Iraqi dish, drawing on the ancient Mesopotamian tradition of layered grain and vegetable cooking. The use of aubergine reflects both local Middle Eastern agriculture and Ottoman Turkish influence. The dish is deeply associated with Iraqi home kitchens and family gatherings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake the aubergine instead of frying?

Yes — brush with oil and roast at 220°C for 20 minutes to save time and reduce oil content.

What rice do Iraqis serve this with?

Traditional Iraqi rice (timman) is simply cooked long-grain rice, sometimes with a crispy bottom crust (qeema). Plain basmati is a perfect accompaniment.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 6 servings total

Calories420kcal

Protein26g

Carbohydrates32g

Fat22g

Fiber8g

Protein26g

Carbs32g

Fat22g

Time Summary

Prep time30 min

Cook time75 min

Total time105 min

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About This Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 largeaubergines, sliced 1.5 cm thick

3 largepotatoes, peeled and sliced 1.5 cm thick

500 gminced lamb

1 largeonion, sliced into rings

4 mediumtomatoes, sliced

2 largegreen peppers, sliced into rings

3 clovesgarlic, minced

1 tbsptomato paste

200 mlpassata or crushed tomatoes

1 tspground allspice

1 tspground cumin

1/2 tspground cinnamon

2 tspsalt

1 tspblack pepper

4 tbspvegetable oil (for frying)

1 tbspolive oil

Instructions

Salt and drain the aubergine

Salt aubergine slices generously and leave in a colander 20 minutes. Pat dry. This removes bitterness and excess moisture.

Fry aubergine and potato

Heat vegetable oil and fry aubergine slices in batches until golden on both sides. Repeat with potato slices. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

Season the lamb

Mix minced lamb with garlic, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, and pepper.

Layer the tray

Grease a deep baking tray. Layer: potato slices, aubergine slices, meat, onion rings, green pepper rings, tomato slices. Mix tomato paste into passata and pour evenly over the top. Drizzle with olive oil.

Bake

Bake uncovered at 190°C for 60–70 minutes until the top is well caramelised and the juices are bubbling and slightly reduced.

Serve

Serve straight from the tray, scooped onto plates of basmati rice or with flatbread to mop up the rich juices.

History & Origin

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake the aubergine instead of frying?

Yes — brush with oil and roast at 220°C for 20 minutes to save time and reduce oil content.

What rice do Iraqis serve this with?

Traditional Iraqi rice (timman) is simply cooked long-grain rice, sometimes with a crispy bottom crust (qeema). Plain basmati is a perfect accompaniment.