Dolmeh Felfel Domaei (دلمه فلفل دلمه‌ای) — Persian Stuffed Bell Peppers

• 6 largeBell peppers (mixed colors) (about 220–260 g each; choose peppers that stand upright)
• 45 mlOlive oil (divided)
• 250 gOnion (finely diced)
• 450 gGround beef or lamb (80–85% lean)
• 350 gEggplant (peeled in stripes, cut into 1 cm cubes)
• 70 gTomato paste (divided)
• 2 tspTurmeric powder
• 2 tspFine sea salt (divided, plus more to taste)
• 1 tspBlack pepper (freshly ground)
• 40 gFresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 180 gMozzarella cheese (shredded; low-moisture melts best)
• 360 mlWater
• 15 mlLemon juice (optional, for brightness)
• 5 gGranulated sugar (optional, balances tomato acidity)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Cut the tops off the bell peppers, keeping the “lids” intact, and remove seeds and white ribs. Lightly oil a baking dish (about 33×23 cm). Arrange peppers upright; if they wobble, trim a very thin slice off the bottom without cutting through.

2. 2

   Make the filling base: heat 30 ml olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Add ground meat, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp turmeric, and black pepper; cook 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until no longer pink.

3. 3

   Sauté the eggplant: push the meat mixture to one side, add remaining 15 ml olive oil, then add cubed eggplant. Cook 10–12 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the eggplant softens and takes on some color. If the pan looks dry, add 1–2 tbsp water and scrape up browned bits.

4. 4

   Bloom the tomato paste: reduce heat to medium. Stir 40 g tomato paste into the skillet and cook 2 minutes, mixing well, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet. Turn off heat and fold in chopped parsley. Cool 5 minutes, then mix in 120 g mozzarella (reserve 60 g for topping). Taste and adjust salt.

5. 5

   Stuff and assemble: fill each pepper with the warm filling, pressing gently to remove air pockets but not packing tightly. Leave 1 cm space at the top for expansion. Sprinkle the reserved 60 g mozzarella over the fillings and set the pepper lids on top (slightly ajar so steam can escape).

6. 6

   Prepare the sauce: whisk 30 g tomato paste with 360 ml water, remaining 1 tsp turmeric, remaining 1 tsp salt, and (if using) lemon juice and sugar. Pour the sauce into the baking dish around the peppers (not directly over the cheese) to reach about 1–1.5 cm depth.

7. 7

   Bake: cover the dish tightly with foil and bake 35 minutes at 190°C (375°F). Remove foil and bake 12–18 minutes more, until peppers are tender, the sauce is slightly reduced, and the cheese is melted with light browning. Rest 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets.