Moussaka with Meat or Chicken Recipe

I'm not a big fan of aubergines unless they are cooked in a very specific way, but mostly aubergines the Italian way. Last weekend I was at my grandmother's house and she insisted I try out an aubergine recipe she made and claimed was delicious. I was a bit hesitant at first but once I gave it a try I felt like I landed in food heaven. You have no idea how delicious it was and that's why I decided to share her recipe with you.

What you will need:

1 Kg Aubergines

1/2 Kg Meat

Tomatoes

Onions

Garlic

Salt

Oil

Tomato Paste

Pepper

Steps:

1. Wash the aubergines and then start cutting them into slices (rings) without pealing them.

2. Boil some salty water (approximately 1 full tea spoon). Once it starts getting warmer, add the aubergine slices into the pot for 2 minutes, you'll find that the water turned into a slightly darker color. 

3. Place the aubergine onto a plate that's covered with kitchen tissue to make sure it absorbs the water inside of the aubergine.

4. Now it's time to use the grill. Add the aubergines to the grill for a couple of minutes and flip it on both sides, until the aubergines start getting a reddish color.

5. Time for the meat or you could try out chicken if you prefer that option. Cut one onion into slices, add it to a pot along with some cooking oil, some garlic or garlic powder (depending on your preferences) and a pinch of pepper. You could also add some chopped tomatoes to that mixture. Once the mixture starts turning into a goldish color, add the meat or chicken to that mixture and start steering. You'll need to add 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of water (depending on the amount of meat) to help it cook faster and for the meat to be softer. 

6. For tastier meat, you can also add a tea spoon of tomato paste and steer it once the meat is almost cooked and ready.

7. Now use the mixture (onions, tomatoes...etc.) you've cooked in step (5) without the meat as a base in a new pot. On top of that add another layer of the aubergines. Add a new layer of the mixture but this time with the meat and then on top of it another layer of aubergines.

8. Finally add a very thin layer of the mixture but mostly meat and make sure the aubergines are visible at the surface of the pot.

9. You can also add some soup on top of it to make the whole meal a bit softer.

10. Time for everything to cook properly, either inside of the oven or on a heat. If you're going to add it inside of the oven, it should be left for 15 minutes after it starts boiling. If you decided to put it on a heat, then it also needs to be left 15 minutes after it starts boiling but add a metal separator.

There's certainly nothing more delicious than your grandmother's recipe, bon apetit!