Which eggplant dish's Turkish name literally means 'the imam fainted'?

Which eggplant dish’s Turkish name literally means “the imam fainted”? The answer is İmam bayıldı.

İmam bayıldı is an Ottoman-era dish of whole eggplants stuffed with onions, garlic, and tomatoes, then slowly simmered in olive oil. Its Turkish name literally translates as “the imam fainted,” a memorable phrase that has helped the dish travel widely beyond Turkey.

The story behind the name is folklore rather than a verified historical event. One version says an imam fainted from pleasure after tasting the dish. Other versions claim he collapsed after learning how much olive oil it used, or after discovering that his wife had exhausted her supply of expensive oil. The competing tales are part of the dish’s cultural identity.

İmam bayıldı is a zeytinyağlı dish and is commonly served warm or at room temperature. It spread throughout former Ottoman territories, including Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, and the Balkans. A frequent mix-up is karnıyarık: both are stuffed eggplant dishes, but karnıyarık normally includes minced meat, while İmam bayıldı is traditionally vegetarian. Şakşuka is a different vegetable preparation.