Makdous
Makdous is a dish of oil-cured aubergines. Part of Levantine cuisine, they are miniature, tangy eggplants stuffed with walnuts, red pepper, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Sometimes chilli powder is added.
Makdous is usually prepared by Syrian households around fall to supply for winter, and is usually eaten during breakfast, supper or as a snack. It is also often served as an appetiser in restaurants.
Etymology
The name is the past participle form of the Arabic root كدس, meaning "to heap" or "to pile", in reference to ingredients being stacked and packed together in oil.History
Pickled eggplants stuffed with various herbs and spices are mentioned in a 13th century Syrian cookbook called Kitab al-Wuslah ila al-Habib by Ibn al-Adim.During the Syrian civil war, the soaring cost of living turned makdous from a staple food in the Syrian pantry to a luxury.