Heat the vegetable oil in a small frying pan on high heat until
you see bubbles around the handle of a wooden spoon when you
place it in the oil. Carefully add the shallots and fry until crispy,
stirring them as they cook. Remove them to paper towels, season
with salt, and set aside.
Set up a steamer by filling a pot with 1 inch of water, bringing it
to a simmer on medium-low heat, and placing a steamer basket
with a lid on top.
Cut off the ends of two of the eggplants and slice them into
rounds about 2 inches wide. Season with salt and place in the
steamer, covering with the lid. Cook until a knife goes through
them easily, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate.
One at a time, using tongs, cook the other 2 eggplants over an
open gas flame on your stovetop. (Be careful! Sparks may fly.) If
this makes you nervous, or if you have an electric stove, you can
also use the broiler or a grill, but the point is to get the whole
exterior of the eggplant black and the interior cooked. It takes 10
minutes or so and you should rotate the eggplant around as you do
it. When the eggplant is limp and blackened, set aside. Allow to
cool and then, using your hands and a paring knife, remove the
skin and slice the eggplant into rounds the same size as the ones
that are in the steamer. Season with salt.
To make the filling for the steamed eggplant, in a small bowl,
mix together the maras-biber, red onion, 1 clove of the minced
garlic, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and enough olive oil to
make a runny paste. Taste and adjust the seasoning.