About Masa’aa
Masa´aa is an Egyptian classic and family favorite. Although it can be found in many restaurants, it is best when made at home. It is also an easy dish to make with fresh vegetables and ingredients that you are likely to have in your pantry and the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. Measurements for this dish are not exact as they depend on your taste.
Ingredients
3 or 4 tomatoes or a 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes
2 eggplants
2-3 tbs tomato paste
3 tbs white vinegar
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 hot chili pepper, cut into large pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
The first step is to begin making the sauce. Sauté the garlic until it begins to brown and then add the chopped tomatoes. You can add a little water or stock to help things along if you are using fresh tomatoes. Next add the peppers and season with salt and pepper. After the tomatoes break down, add the tomato paste and vinegar.
While the sauce is coming together, prepare the eggplant. It should be sliced into pieces a quarter inch thick. You can either fry it until it is golden or sprinkle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake it in the oven. After your eggplant is cooked and golden, slice it into strips and add it to your sauce. Next, let everything simmer for at least thirty minutes.
Masa’aa can be served with a mild, soft cheese or sour cream to combat the spiciness. Serve it as a main meal with pita bread to scoop it up or as a side dish.
This dish is great because it lends itself to a lot of variation. You can easily make it spicier by adding more hot peppers or hot sauce. You can also add some ground beef for the carnivores in the house.