Eggplant! Recipes

Raw eggplant can have a bitter taste , rinsing salting and salting may remove the bitterness.
Due to its texture and bulk, it is sometimes used as a meat substitute in vegan and vegetarian cuisines. While it can be eaten with the peel but the top green stem has to be taken off.
Eggplant can be steamed, stir-fried, pan fried, deep fried, barbecued, roasted, stewed, curried, or pickled. Many eggplant dishes are sauces made by mashing the cooked fruit. It can be stuffed. It is frequently, but not always, cooked with fat.

Some delectable recipes include

Baingan Ka Bharta (Mashed Eggplant Curry)

While every induvidual might “add” something of their own to the same, peas, potatoes and even a different mix of herbs and spices While some make it with onion others may make it without and that is what makes it a simple and yet versatile vegatable preperation which changes in flavour and richness with just “ONE” ingredient.

• Onion – 2no.
• Tomato – 2no.
• Ginger Garlic Paste – 10 grams
• Red Chilli powder – to taste
• Turmeric Powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Dry Corriander Powder – to taste
• Mustard Oil – 30ml
• Peas – 50gm
• Eggplant – 500gm

Method:
1. Roast the eggplant to burn the outer skin gets charred & peel the same.
2. Heat the oil in a deep bottomed pan and add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a while.
3. Add the chopped onion and cook till brown and then add the chopped tomatoes & cook for a while.
4. Add the dry masalas and then cook for a while.
5. Mix in the mashed eggplant and peas & then cook till tender.
6. Garnish with freshly chopped corriander. Serve with indian flat breads

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Ratatouille

Just as same as the last recipe with eggplants, ratatouille is yet another recipe from the vegetable which is not only easy but is also favourful at the same time.

• Eggplant – 1no.
• Green zucchini – 1 no.
• Yellow Zucchini – 1 no.
• Tomatoes – 5-6 no.
• Onions – 2 no.
• Garlic – 5 cloves.
• Red Bell Peppers – 1 no.
• Herbs – basil, thyme – few sprigs
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Oil – 50ml

Method:

1. Dice the eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Add oil to a skillet and saute’ (cook for 3-4 mins)
2. Heat oil in a pan & add chopped onions,garlic and herbs and cook till onions become translucent
3. Add in the chopped red bell peppers and cook.
4. Mix in the semi cooked vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini).
5. Season with salt, pepper & cook till the vegetables become tender for about 15-20 mins.
6. Top with the basil leaf & serve.

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Baba ganoush

Perhaps one of the best dips in the world & the best companion with Pita, Lavash & all salad veggies.

• Eggplant – 1no.
• Tahini paste – 1no.
• Minced Garlic – 4-5 cloves
• Lemon juice – 1 no.
• Salt & Pepper – to taste
• Olive Oil – 50 ml

Method

1. Char the eggplant by roasting it on a open flame and then peel the flesh of the eggplant.
2. Finely Chop the eggplant and then add the minced garlic and tahini.
3. Season with salt & pepper & add the lemon juice. Mix well.
4. Baba Ganoush can be customised in many ways by adding chopped onion or pomegranate to the dip.
5. Serve with toasted pita bread or lavash or as a side dip to fresh cut carrots, cucumbers and bell peppers.

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Tangy Small Aubergines

• Small Augergines – 250gm
• Red Chili Powder – 10 gm
• Dry mango Powder – 20 gm
• Chaat masala ( a mix of tangy spices ) – 20 gm
• Dry corriander powder – 10gm
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil – to shallow fry

Method:

1. Cut the small aubergine till half way and fill it with a mixture of all the spices above.
2. Heat oil in a deep bottomed skillet and lay the aubergines in the oil after securely tieing with a thread to make sure the spice filling doesn’t drop out.
3. Cook on a slow flame for 15-20 mins constantly turning the eggplants every 3-4 mins.
4. Cook till the eggplants are tender and cooked on all sides.

While these were some common, simple and more on the Indian (origin place) cuisine recipes of aubergines. The vegetable has been used as a culinary blank slate in the continental or mediterranean cooking as the following :

• Eggplant Moussaka
• Eggplant Parmigian
• Eggplant Slices as a base for pizza’s by substituting it for the normal dough base

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Eggplant slices along with pizza sauce made from tomatoes and topped up with vegetables paves way for a great pizza, just take the thin slices of eggplant as the base and you are good to go!
As said “ALL YOU NEED IS CHEESE”

While these were some of the recipes which can be made with this ingredient, there are many more yet to be cooked and tried. So,
Let’s Take Ingredients ONE At A Time.