Mahshi and the eggplants grown for it
Some vegetables are grown for a single dish. In Egypt, small black and white eggplants are picked to the size of mahshi.
Ask an Egyptian family about mahshi and you will hear about weekends: everyone around the table, hollowing vegetables, filling them with spiced rice and herbs, and packing them tightly into a pot to simmer in tomato.
A dish that shapes a harvest
Mahshi is so loved that growers plan for it. Small, slender black eggplants — and the paler, creamier white eggplant, a heritage Egyptian variety — are picked young and uniform, so every piece can be cored easily and cooks evenly.
Why size matters
A mahshi eggplant should be no longer than a finger or two, thin-skinned and tender. Left to grow, it develops larger seeds and a firmer skin that is harder to stuff. That is why these eggplants are sold separately from the large globe types used for grilling and frying.
Bringing mahshi home
For families abroad, finding the right eggplant is often the hardest part of cooking mahshi. Our Egyptian eggplants for mahshi and white eggplants are selected by size and packed in 5 kg cartons — enough for a proper family pot, with quantity pricing when you cook for more.
