High-quality walnuts are essential for this dish. The walnut paste should be fine and smooth. It is traditionally served cold to allow the flavors to meld – the longer it chills, the better it tastes. It is important to salt the eggplant before frying to remove bitterness and absorb less oil.
Wash the eggplants, cut off the ends, and slice lengthwise into thin slices (about 3-5 mm thick).
Sprinkle the slices with salt and let them stand for 30 minutes to draw out bitter juices and help them absorb less oil.
Rinse them with cold water and thoroughly dry with a paper towel. This is crucial!
Heat a little oil in a large pan. Fry the eggplant slices on both sides until soft and golden brown (about 2-3 minutes per side).
Transfer the fried slices to a plate lined with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Let them cool completely.
In a food processor or mortar, combine the ground walnuts, minced garlic, grated onion, fresh coriander, spices (Khmeneli Suneli, saffron, chili), and salt.
Process until you get a thick, homogeneous paste. Gradually add the wine vinegar/lemon juice and 1-2 tbsp of cold water until the filling is pasty and easily spreadable (it should not be too runny).
Place a cooled eggplant slice on a cutting board. Spread a thin layer of the walnut filling over the entire surface (leaving about 1 cm free edge at one end).
Firmly roll the slice from the wide end to the thin end to create a neat roll.
Transfer the rolls to a serving plate. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and optionally coriander leaves.
Serve cold. Ideally, let the rolls chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour for the flavors to fully combine.