The big stir

As with all of the steps in the making of ajvar, time is a considerable and necessary feature in the process. In almost all of these steps time can be shortened considerably when more hands are on deck. However, there is one phase in which time can't be beaten. This phase is known as 'the big stir'. And this is what it looks like.

15:33 hrs - Stir the whole lot of ground paprika and eggplant and it's time to move on to the next step - the one where the most patience is required - the cooked stirring or stirred cooking.

16:10 hrs... the ajvar starts to cook. The stirring continues.
The ajvaris about to get ready. It's cooking and... takes a few more hours of cherisment. A necessary ingredient during the hours of stirring is fire wood. Plenty of it!
And the stirring goes on and on and on and on (freely after S. Harris, 1984)
19:17 hrs - after four hours of cooking and constant stirring, the mass of ground paprika and eggplant is reduced to half. It's almost ready to be called ajvar. Just a few more moments of patience is involved.