باذنجان محسى

"Prepare it by taking eggplants, removing the stems and leaves, and boiling them lightly in water and salt. Then take them out, dry them from the water, and cut them into small pieces. Sprinkle a little salt and some spices and ground nutmeg over them. Then take good quality pomegranate seeds, pound them finely, mix them with good vinegar, and strain, discarding the solids. Pour this vinegar over the aforementioned eggplants and mix it in. Next, take walnut and almond kernels, crush them coarsely, and add peeled sesame seeds, then roast them. Put a little sesame oil in a copper pot; when it boils, add the walnuts, almonds, and sesame seeds, and stir once. Then pour this over the eggplants along with the sesame oil and place it in a glass jar. Sprinkle a little finely ground nutmeg on top, then use it after a few days."

The recipe is written in the style of medieval Arabic culinary manuscripts: a direct, stepwise prose that assumes the reader possesses basic cooking knowledge. There are no strict quantities; the tone is conversational yet instructive, sometimes referencing specialized ingredients (like 'اظفار الطيب' or nail spice, typically interpreted as cloves, or perhaps a musk-like spice blend). Spelling and measurements were highly variable in historical manuscripts, with context providing the main guide for interpretation. The recipe expects adaptation based on what is available and the cook’s own expertise—a hallmark of historical food writing.