The oil-cured stuffed baby eggplant dish in Levantine cuisine in Lebanon is makdous.
Makdous is made from small eggplants that are softened, split, stuffed, and preserved under olive oil. The classic filling combines walnuts, red pepper, garlic, and salt, creating a tangy, savory mezze or pantry food. It is associated especially with Syrian cuisine but is also established in Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine.
Preparation traditionally takes place in autumn, when households make enough jars to last through winter. The eggplants are first boiled or otherwise softened, then drained and stuffed before being submerged in oil. The name is linked to an Arabic root meaning “to heap” or “to pile,” likely referring to the packed filling.
Makdous is sometimes confused with generic pickled eggplant, moussaka, or maghmour. Those dishes may also use eggplant, but they do not describe this distinctive walnut-and-pepper-filled preserve. Historical references to stuffed pickled eggplants appear in a 13th-century Syrian cookbook.