How to cook stuffed eggplants in the oven according to a step-by-step recipe with photos

Eggplants stuffed with vegetables baked in the oven recipe with photos step by step

Stuffed eggplants baked in the oven look original and very beautiful on a festive table. Believe me, eggplant stuffed with meat or vegetables is not a shame to serve.

And the guests will say: “Wow, delicious!” Be sure to prepare and surprise your family and friends. I definitely succeeded! The pleasant aroma of the sauce and a light garlic note will drive even the most avid gourmets crazy.

Stuffed eggplants with cheese and garlic always attract attention and disappear at the very beginning of the feast. This eggplant dish is easy to prepare and has amazing taste.

Delicious stuffed eggplants with minced meat and mushrooms

A very tasty, juicy dish that will simply blow your mind, especially those who love mushrooms will be delighted. By the way, you can use any mushrooms in this dish - wild mushrooms, champignons or oyster mushrooms. Serve the stuffed vegetables hot and don’t forget to sprinkle with fresh herbs, it will be very tasty!

Products for two servings:

1 eggplant;
300 g minced meat;
250 g champignons (you can also use wild mushrooms);
bulb;
egg;
3 cloves of garlic;
30 g parmesan;
20-30 g breadcrumbs;
a couple of sprigs of parsley and basil;
salt and ground pepper to taste;
1 tbsp. spoon of olive oil.

Cooking method:

Thoroughly washed vegetables are wiped with a paper towel and the tail is removed. Then they are cut lengthwise and shaped into boats using a spoon.
Place the vegetable pulp in boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, drain in a colander and squeeze it thoroughly.
In order not to waste time while the pulp is cooking, place a frying pan on the hob. Heat it up, pour in the oil, put the minced meat there, salt, pepper and fry with constant stirring until cooked. Place the finished meat on a sieve or in a colander to drain excess oil.
Chop the mushrooms and chop the onion, then fry them in the pan where the minced meat was previously fried, adding a little oil if necessary. When the mixture turns golden, add the garlic, passed through a garlic press, and continue frying for a couple more minutes.
Now combine the meat and mushrooms in one bowl, add breadcrumbs, break the egg, add chopped herbs and grated cheese. Mix the filling well and add salt and pepper if necessary. We fill the vegetable boats, place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment, and place in a preheated oven at 190 degrees for 30 minutes.

Eggplant boats with minced meat in the oven - step-by-step recipe

Oh, and yummy – these boats with cheese caps! If you have never cooked stuffed eggplants like this, be sure to try it! And tasty, and aromatic, and beautiful!

To prepare we will need:

eggplants – 3 pcs.;
carrots – 2 pcs.;
onions – 2 pcs.;
tomato – 1 pc.;
minced meat – 600 g;
cheese – 100 g;
garlic – 2 cloves;
salt, pepper - to taste;
hops-suneli – 1/2 tsp;
vegetable oil.

Preparation procedure:

Cut the washed eggplants without tails in half lengthwise. We make shallow cuts around the perimeter of each half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon to create boats with indentations in the middle.
We also make several random cuts inside them and add salt.
Let the juice simmer for half an hour and then rinse with cold water. This will remove any excess bitterness.
Cut the eggplant pulp into small pieces.
We also chop the remaining vegetables: onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes with a knife.
Lubricate the inside of the boats with vegetable oil. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place in the oven preheated to 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
Throw garlic into a frying pan with vegetable oil, fry for a few seconds, add onion and after a minute – carrots.
After another couple of minutes, we send the minced meat there. After its color changes and excess liquid evaporates, add eggplant pulp, tomatoes, suneli hops, salt, black pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
Take the eggplants out of the oven and fill them with the filling.
Cut the cheese into thin slices (you can grate it) and place it on top.
Place back in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the cheese cap appears golden brown.

Turkish recipe for eggplant stuffed with meat

Number of servings – 4. Calorie content – 101 kcal. Cooking time – 1 hour 20 minutes. Kitchen utensils: stove, oven, bowl, baking sheet.

Ingredients

Eggplant	4 things.
Water	1 l
Bulb onions	100 g
Sunflower oil	60 ml
Champignon	150 g
Chilli	1 PC.
Chopped meat	400 g
Bulgarian pepper	100 g
Cheese	100 g
Tomato	100 g
Salt	taste

Step-by-step preparation

Cut the skins of 4 eggplants into strips. We don't touch the tails.
Place them in a deep bowl for 30 minutes and pour in 1 liter of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt diluted in it.
Cut 100 g of onion into small cubes.
Heat 30 ml of sunflower oil in a deep frying pan and put the onion in it.
Cut 150 g of champignons and 1 chili pepper into thin slices.
When the onion acquires a light golden hue, add 400 g of minced meat and champignon slices to it.
Cut 100 g of red bell pepper into medium-sized cubes and add them to the frying pan with the minced meat along with the chili pepper. Stirring occasionally, fry until done. Salt to taste.
Read also: Chicken with pumpkin in a frying pan recipes. Chicken with pumpkin: a delicious dish for dinner
Remove the eggplants from the water, dry them with a towel and make a long longitudinal cut.
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet, grease the top with 30 ml of sunflower oil and place in the oven, preheated to 180°, for 25 minutes.
The eggplants are not yet ready, but have already become soft and pliable, take them out of the oven and fill them with minced meat, opening the pocket wider.
Sprinkle the stuffed eggplants with 100 g of grated cheese. Place sliced tomato on top.
Place the eggplants in an oven preheated to 180° for 10-15 minutes. Then we take it out and serve it to the table.

Video recipe

Watching this video will create an immersive effect and help you appreciate the merits of the recipe for eggplants stuffed the way they do it in Turkey.

Other cooking options

If you want to stock up on eggplant stuffed with carrots for future use, choose a suitable recipe from a special selection of the best stuffed eggplant recipes for the winter. As a filling, this vegetable will delight you in the winter preparation of peppers stuffed with eggplants. If you want to diversify your menu with healthy meat and vegetable dishes, check out the recipe for stuffed zucchini; it can be prepared from early summer to late autumn. And don’t forget about peppers stuffed with minced meat and rice; its preparation also has nuances and variations.

Share your impressions, comments, additions. Or do you stuff eggplants in some other way? Tell me, it will be interesting not only to me. Bon appetit!

Eggplant boats with vegetables in the oven

Vegetable boats with mushrooms and cheese are an excellent alternative to meat snacks. Healthy, tasty and very cute!

Warm summer, a variety of fresh vegetables - isn’t this a reason to treat yourself and your loved ones to such a delicacy?!

To prepare we will need:

small eggplants – 5 pcs.;
carrots – 1 pc.;
onion – 1 pc.;
champignons – 350 g;
bell pepper – 1 pc.;
tomatoes – 3 pcs.;
garlic – 2 cloves;
salt - to taste;
black pepper - to taste;
vegetable oil - for frying;
greens (dill, parsley) - a bunch.

Cooking method:

We make boats from eggplants. To do this, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp from the middle with a spoon. Salt and leave for 15-20 minutes so that excess bitterness goes away.
Cut the onion into small cubes and fry in a heated frying pan in vegetable oil until transparent.
We also cut the champignons, add them to the onions, and fry everything over medium heat.
Grate the carrots on a medium grater and add to the pan.
We remove the seeds from the sweet pepper, cut it into pieces, chop the garlic and add them to the rest of the vegetables.
We make cross-shaped cuts on the tomatoes, pour boiling water for 1-2 minutes to remove the skin. Cut into small pieces and place in a frying pan. Mix everything. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
Drain the resulting liquid from the eggplants and rinse them in cold water.
Grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil (you can pre-cover it with foil).
Fill the boats with filling and place on a baking sheet.
Grind the cheese on a fine grater and sprinkle it on the boats.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Decorate with dill or parsley.

Eggplants stuffed with vegetables, baked in the oven

How to cook “Eggplant stuffed with minced meat”

Ingredients:

eggplant - 1 gram (large);
minced meat - 500 grams (I took beef);
onion - 1 piece;
garlic - 1 clove;
tomato - 2 pieces (small without skin);
spices for minced meat - 1 to taste;
hard cheese - 200 grams;
chopped fresh dill - 1 tbsp. spoon.

Number of servings: 2

Cooking method:

Wash the eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and place in a bowl of salted water. Leave for 30 minutes to remove the bitterness from the eggplant.
I put foil on a baking sheet, grease the eggplants with olive oil and put them in an oven preheated to 150 degrees for 15 minutes. Once the eggplant has cooled, scoop out the flesh to create an indentation for the filling.
Place chopped onion, chopped garlic in a hot frying pan with olive oil and fry. Add minced meat, spices, salt and pepper to taste.
After 20 minutes, add the diced peeled tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Grate the cheese and mix with chopped dill. We stuff the eggplants in layers - a layer of minced meat, then sprinkle with cheese and dill. The top layer is made of cheese.
Bake in the oven at 150 degrees for 20 minutes.

Eggplant stuffed with cheese and vegetables

I tried stuffed eggplants for the first time when I was in Armenia, I liked them so much that I finally shook out the recipe.

Eggplant 1 piece
Sweet pepper 2 pieces

1 red, 1 yellow

Tomatoes 2 Pieces
Carrot 1 piece
Onion 1 piece
Cheese 100 grams
Feta
Salt 0.5 tbsp. spoons
Spices for vegetables 1 tbsp. spoon

First you need to cut the eggplant into 2 slices and immerse it in cold water, lightly salted, for half an hour so that the bitterness goes away. Then pour boiling water over them and place in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Before baking the eggplants, we take out all the pulp from them, but do not throw it away, we will need it later.

Fry the eggplant pulp in a frying pan in a small amount of oil.

Add all the chopped vegetables to the eggplants, add some salt and simmer in water for 4-5 minutes. Don’t forget, we throw in the tomatoes last, having first removed their skins.

Now we transfer all the vegetables into a bowl, add chopped cheese to them and mix everything thoroughly.

In order to bring to life our recipe for preparing eggplants stuffed with vegetables, you need to fill our boats with the filling and bake them in the oven, preheated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes; readiness can be seen by how the filling with eggplants browns. When serving, the eggplants can be decorated with a sprig of parsley or some other herbs. Bon appetit!

How to cook accordion eggplant with minced meat in the oven

A dish of eggplant with minced meat and decorated in the shape of an accordion looks incredibly beautiful on the table. It is not only spectacular, but also very tasty. Prepares quickly, without much hassle.

What to prepare:

1 kg of eggplants;
300 g minced meat;
2 tomatoes;
2 pods of hot pepper;
4 cloves of garlic;
1-2 medium onions;
0.5 tsp each of coriander, paprika, dried mint, cumin (cumin);
salt and ground black pepper - to taste.
2 tbsp. l tomato paste;
1 tbsp. l vegetable oil.

Cooking process:

Cut the eggplants into halves along the fruit. Now you need to cut each half into slices.
The whole secret is that the cuts should not be made completely so that the vegetable retains its integrity and does not fall apart into separate pieces.
To do this, you can take wooden skewers or sticks. Place the eggplant halves between them and cut it into slices. The blade of the knife does not rest on the cutting board, but on the chopsticks. Thus, the vegetable is not cut through completely. Very convenient, try it!
Each accordion should contain 7 plates.
Place the accordion blanks into a container. Sprinkle with salt (1 tablespoon) and add warm water.
Salt and pepper to taste. Add spices: paprika, coriander, dried mint and cumin or cumin. Mix the minced meat.
Drain the water from the eggplants and dry them slightly. We begin the stuffing process. Using a teaspoon, place the minced meat between the vegetable plates. We compact it a little, remove the excess so that the meat does not protrude over the edges.
Place the pieces on a greased baking dish. Place tomato slices and hot pepper pods between them.
Making the sauce for pouring. To do this, mix 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a spoonful of vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt. Mix well and add 400 ml. water. Fill the dish with sauce.
Place in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees, for 1 hour.

Cooking eggplant stuffed with minced meat, tomatoes and cheese

Quite an interesting recipe made from simple and affordable ingredients. Eggplant with minced meat, tomatoes and cheese is shaped into a fan. The recipe got its name - eggplant fan. It is also called the Firebird or the peacock's tail. And the point is not at all what name the dish received among the people... Of course, it looks very beautiful. But it is remembered not only by its appearance, but also by its taste. Incredibly delicious food...

What you will need:

2 eggplants;
200 g minced meat;
2 tomatoes (medium size);
1 bell pepper;
half an onion;
150 g cheese;
80 g mayonnaise;
2 cloves of garlic;
salt pepper.

Cooking process:

Let's prepare the minced meat. To do this, finely chop the onion. Let's pass the garlic through the garlic press. Salt and pepper the meat. Mix everything. We cut the tomato into halves and divide each into plates. Cut the cheese into slices.
Divide the eggplants into two halves (cut along the vegetable). Then, we cut each half into plates, also lengthwise. Just do not cut 2 centimeters to the stalk. If you remove the stalk, then try not to let the vegetable fall into slices.
It is convenient to start the vegetable on a baking sheet. We got 6 plates in the fan. Insert pieces of cheese into the first cut between the plates. We form the minced meat into cutlets in the form of long flat cakes and place them in the next cut between the plates.
Then there are tomatoes with pieces of pepper. Again a flat minced meat cutlet. You can figure out how to stuff the eggplant yourself. If you need more meat, make 3 layers of meat between the fans.
Finely chop the garlic cloves. Add to mayonnaise and mix. Lubricate the stuffed eggplants with this sauce.
Bake the fan in the oven at 180 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

How to cook stuffed eggplants with sauce

Incredible! But dishes prepared from blueberries are not only tasty, but also spectacular. One is more beautiful than the other. It would seem that the same products are used, but each dish looks completely different. The taste of this dish is reminiscent of the taste of eggplant accordion.

But you can correct this misunderstanding by replacing the minced meat with chicken. But what pattern is the vegetable cut into? I would never have guessed how to do it! If I hadn't repeated it all step by step.

The vegetable cutting pattern looks very beautiful. If you want to preserve it, do not pour too much sauce or cover the top of the product with it.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant (large);
700 g minced meat;
2 onions;
2 cloves of garlic;
1 tsp paprika;
1 tsp cumin;
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper;
1 egg;
2-3 tbsp. l. flour;
50 g hard cheese.

For the sauce:

2 tbsp. l. tomato paste;
2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
1 tsp sugar;
1 tsp. oregano;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
pepper and salt.

Preparation:

If the eggplant is large, weighing 700-800 g, it must be cut into 4 parts. Then, put one part between the sticks and cut into diamonds, without cutting the vegetable to the end (so that it does not fall into pieces).
First, we make cuts diagonally in one direction, then in the other (see photo).
This is the beautiful diamond pattern you should get on a vegetable.
Place the vegetable in a bowl, add water and add a teaspoon of salt. Leave for 15-20 minutes.
Drain the water from the bowl with eggplants. Dry the vegetable with a towel and begin stuffing. It is more convenient to stuff meat with a fork or knife than just with your hands.
Fry the stuffed vegetables on both sides in boiling vegetable oil. Moreover, first place the products meat side down to form a light crust.
Now let's prepare the sauce. In half a liter of water, stir 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 2 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil. Add chopped garlic and oregano. Salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the eggplants and simmer on the fire, with the lid closed, for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
Extraordinary deliciousness and beauty! Place this dish on the table even on weekdays or on holidays. Very filling and appetizing. Can be served with a side dish or as an independent snack.

Baked eggplants stuffed in Turkish style

For almost every celebration I prepare such delicious beauty. The guests are simply delighted! Original presentation and a balanced combination of ingredients are the main trump card of this delicacy. However, it would take a long time to list the advantages. Easier to grab and cook! Let's begin...

Ingredients:

5 medium eggplants;
4 onions;
2 cloves of garlic;
1-2 sweet bell or capsicum peppers;
250 grams of minced meat;
a bunch of greenery;
ground pepper and salt at your discretion;
1 tomato;
2 full tablespoons of tomato paste.

Cooking steps:

For this dish we will prepare eggplants in a very original way.

1. Eggplants need to be peeled in stripes, that is, every other time, as shown in the photo. This is necessary so that later it will be easier to open the future “pocket”. However, you will soon understand everything yourself. Make one cut along the peeled part, throughout the entire depth of the fruit, without cutting through the bottom wall. There is no need to cut off the tail.

Sprinkle them with salt and leave until liquid releases.

2. Grease a baking sheet with oil (preferably olive oil). Do the same with each eggplant. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and place our vegetables in it. They should soften slightly and brown. This takes approximately 10-15 minutes.

3. Finely chop the onion and fry in oil. Finely chopped sweet pepper is sent next. In this case, we took the pod variety. Chop the garlic as much as possible and fry it together, along with a chopped bunch of herbs.

4. As soon as the vegetables have stewed a little, add the minced meat and break it into the total mass as much as possible. Salt and season. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until excess liquid has evaporated and the painting is finished in appearance.

5. Meanwhile, the eggplants have already softened and can be taken out. The same cut that we made before sending the vegetables into the oven needs to be opened slightly to create an impromptu pocket for putting in the filling.

6. Fill each vegetable with filling. Top with tomato slices and sweet peppers (we used capsicum again).

7. Dilute tomato paste in water until it reaches the consistency of juice. Add a little salt and pour the mixture over each eggplant. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Temperature - 190 degrees.

8. Since both the eggplants and the filling are almost ready, there is no need to bake the dish for a long time. Just wait until the color is golden brown and you can take out the baking sheet.

It turns out very tasty and beautiful!

Eggplant dishes are always a winning option on any table. Especially if you stuff them and bake them in the oven. You can, of course, fry them in oil. But then the dish will be fattier and less healthy. I always bake only in the oven. This yummy dish doesn’t stay on the table for more than a few hours – it flies away in an instant. We eat this delicious dish with the whole family, together with small children. After all, it’s tasty, satisfying, and healthy!

Eggplants in the oven, baked with minced meat and rice

I offer another original dish with a secret. Looking at the finished eggplants, it is difficult to guess what is inside them. And there is a delicious filling of minced meat mixed with rice. Pine nuts and regular meat seasonings are added to the filling.

Ingredients:

6 eggplants;
250 g minced meat;
50 g pine nut kernels;
1 onion;
3 tomatoes;
1 clove of garlic;
0.5 cups rice;
2 cups broth;
2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
pepper, salt.

Preparation:

Wash vegetables and dry. Cut off the tails. Cut the vegetables lengthwise, make cuts with a knife and remove the pulp using a spoon. Place the workpieces in salt water for 15-20 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the nut kernels until lightly golden. Drain them in a colander. And simmer the chopped onion and garlic in the oil. Mix half the fried onion and garlic with nuts. Add washed rice to the mixture.
Prepare minced meat by adding onion and garlic. Add some salt and pepper. Mix meat with rice-nut mixture.
Drain the vegetables. Fill the fruits with prepared minced meat. Place them in a saucepan. Finely chop the tomatoes. Place in a frying pan, add the remaining onion and garlic and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in the broth. Take a sample and, if necessary, add salt, pepper, and herbs.
Pour the prepared sauce over the eggplants in a saucepan and simmer over moderate heat for 45 minutes.

Juicy stuffed eggplants with mushrooms and vegetables

An excellent snack option for a special event. Beautiful, bright, and most importantly very tasty. Stock up on a great mood and get down to business as soon as possible.

Grocery list:

eggplants - 2 pcs;
hard cheese - 50 g;
bell pepper - 1 piece;
onion - 1 piece;
tomatoes - 1 piece;
carrots - 1 piece;
champignons - 200 g;
black olives - 20 g;
salt - to taste;
ground black pepper - to taste;
olive oil - 1 tbsp. spoon;
greenery.

Cooking steps:

Wash the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the core; it is more convenient to do this with a spoon.
Rinse the vegetables and then chop them. Grate the carrots on a fine grater, chop the onion into cubes. Cut the bell pepper and tomato into small cubes.
Also chop the mushrooms into small cubes.
Next, place the vegetables, except tomatoes, in a frying pan for frying in olive oil. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
After frying for a while, add chopped tomato. Cook until vegetables are soft.
Place the eggplant boats into the pan. Fill them with vegetable and mushroom filling, top with olives cut into rings and cheese cut into triangles.
Place the form in a preheated oven. Bake the dish at 180 degrees for half an hour.

Decorate the dish with herbs, place it on a platter and serve.

Bon appetite!

The most delicious recipe for stuffed eggplants

Kitchen utensils: stove, oven, bowl, baking sheet, frying pan.

Ingredients

Minced pork and beef	500 g
Eggplant	4 things.
Bulgarian pepper	150-200 g
Bulb onions	150 g
Garlic	1 head
Bechamel sauce	300-350 ml
Hard cheese	200 g
Ground black pepper	2 g
Ground red pepper	2 g
Salt	taste
Sunflower oil	30-40 ml

When choosing eggplants you need to know that:

Freshness is indicated by shiny, intensely colored, smooth skin without spots, green stalk;
an unripe fruit has noticeable weight, medium size, and elasticity, thanks to which it quickly restores its shape after pressing with a finger.

It is better to take round and pear-shaped fruits - they will hold more filling. It is better to buy bright red bell peppers The type of cheese does not matter, it should melt and grate well.

Step-by-step preparation

Preparing the eggplants. Cut each of the 4 pieces lengthwise into 2 halves and remove the stem.
We take out the pulp. To do this, use a sharp knife to make an incision around the perimeter, marking the pulp that needs to be removed. Then we cut it deep with a mesh and take it out using a tablespoon.
Sprinkle the inside of the eggplant “boats” with salt and, turning them over, place them on a dish so that the juice with excess salt flows into it.
Grind the insides of the eggplants to the size of vegetables for vinaigrette, transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and mix thoroughly.
Wipe the eggplant halves dry with a paper towel and place on a baking sheet. Bake them for 15-20 minutes in the oven at 180°C.
In the meantime, we are preparing the filling. Cut 150 g of onion into medium-sized cubes.
Place a large frying pan or cauldron to heat on the stove. Pour 30-40 ml of sunflower oil into it and add onions.
Cut 150-200 g of bell red pepper into cubes or small pieces, add to the onion and mix.
Peel the head of garlic, chop it with a knife and add it to the vegetables.
Place 500 g of minced pork and beef in a frying pan and mix it thoroughly with the vegetables.
Add 2 g of ground red and black pepper, a pinch of salt and mix well.
When the juice from the minced meat has evaporated from the pan, add the eggplants cut into pieces and fry for 8-10 minutes.
Remove the eggplant boats from the oven. They should be almost ready, that is, a little softer than raw. Fill them with filling.
Place 60-70 ml of bechamel sauce on top of each half and sprinkle with 200 g of grated hard cheese.
Preheat the oven to 190° and place a baking sheet with eggplants in it.
After 15-20 minutes, remove the finished dish and place it on serving plates.

Video recipe

This video will help you appreciate the simplicity and perfection of the recipe for eggplants stuffed with a mixture of vegetables and minced meat, baked in the oven.

A few facts that will make you include eggplant dishes in your menu more often. This low-calorie vegetable (100 g – 28 kcal):

removes cholesterol from the body and normalizes metabolism, thanks to the large amount of fiber;
rich in potassium salts, which help the body get rid of excess fluid and normalize the water-salt balance;
help to quit smoking by mitigating nicotine hunger with a high content of vitamin PP (nicotinic acid).

How and with what to serve

We have prepared a universal dish. It can be served hot as a main dish, or topped with a side dish of boiled potatoes, pasta or rice. Both hot and cold, such eggplants will be an excellent appetizer on the holiday table . You can complement them with spicy tomato sauce and fresh tomato salad. You can use any spicy herbs for decoration.