Gaji Namul (Korean Spicy Eggplant)

This is an old one. I made this the last time I was in NZ. I just never quite got around to writing it up. Which is a shame. Because it was delicious! Luckily, I kept a list of everything I made while I was over there. So I can rectify this grave oversight now.

Gaji Namul

Slightly adapted from Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

• 450g Asian eggplants
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean chile flakes)
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• pepper, to taste
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 mild red chile or bell pepper (optional), minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Halve eggplants lengthwise, then cut into pieces about 5cm (2") long.
2. Set up a steamer, bring water to a boil, add eggplants to steamer, cover, and cook for ~5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, gochugaru, fish sauce, sesame oil, and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
5. Add the garlic, green onion, and chile/bell pepper (if using). Set aside.
6. Once eggplant is cool enough to handle, tear it into bite-sized pieces.
7. Pour the sauce over the eggplant and toss to combine.
8. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
9. Stir once more before serving.
10. Serve with rice and other banchan (side dishes) of your choice.

This was not a spectacular dish, but it was honestly pretty good. And while it took a while to make, the time required was mostly passive. There was very little active prep or cooking required. So, while definitely not a showstopper, this does make for a very appealing side dish.

Tomato and Eggplant Tian

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1-2 American or Italian eggplants
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground and divided
• 1-1.2kg fresh tomatoes, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme, divided
• 2-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil, divided
• 1/4 c. dried breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp. butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F), line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, and grease a gratin dish or deep dish pie plate.
2. Peel the eggplant(s) and cut them crosswise into 1cm thick slices.
3. Brush both sides with olive oil and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper.
5. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes with the garlic, thyme, and the remaining salt and pepper. Set aside.
7. Flip the eggplant slices and return to oven for another 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and increase temperature to 230°C (450°F).
9. Arrange eggplant slices, overlapping, in pie plate.
10. Sprinkle with half the basil.
11. Layer the tomatoes on top, being sure to pour in all of their juices as well.
12. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top and dot with butter.
13. Bake at 230°C (450°F) for 25 minutes.

Baingan Bhindi ki Subzi (Eggplant and Okra Curry)

Eggplant curries are apparently unheard of here in NZ! Indian cuisine and curries are common, just not eggplant ones. Which is fine, but was a little disappointing when I was craving a nice baingan bharta a few weeks ago. Eggplants are in season now though. And I have a curry cookbook! So I figured that it might be nice to make an eggplant curry to supplement our takeaway dinner last night.

I'm really happy with how this one came out. I mean, it's not may favourite curry or anything. It's not even my favourite eggplant curry. But it's very quick and easy to throw together and has an excellent deliciousness-to-effort ratio, so I was very happy with that. It also only needs a handful of spices: just fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric, and some fresh chilies.

The original recipe calls for four fresh green Thai or serrano chilies. But due to Reiver's nightshade sensitivity, I wanted to limit it to just one chile in the dish. So I picked out a fairly serious-looking long red chile from the freezer and just tossed that in. It definitely had some kick to it! I quite liked the level of heat that the final dish came out with, but I think it may have been a bit too punchy for some of the others. So... adjust the type and number of chilies according to your taste. I enjoyed this as a somewhat spicy dish, but it's not one of those curries that really relies on the fiery heat as a core component. You can definitely get away with making it milder if desired.

Baingan Bhindi ki Subzi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1-4 fresh green Thai or serrano chilies, thinly sliced
• 225g frozen sliced okra
• 1 small eggplant (225-275g), peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. fenugreek seeds, ground
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro¹

Directions

1. Heat the oil ove medium heat.
2. Add the onion and chilies, cover, and cook until the onion is soft and well-browned (10-15 minutes).
3. Add the okra and cook until okra gets a bit of colour on it (10-15 minutes longer).
4. Add the eggplant, salt, fenugree, mustard, and turmeric and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add the water and deglaze the pan.
6. Cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens (~15 minutes).
7. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until veggies are tender (~5 minutes more).
8. Sprinkle with cilantro (if using) and serve.

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¹ I omitted the cilantro in my rendition of this curry because I knew that it might be served to someone who has the "cilantro tastes like soap" thing going on. It's one of those things that's nice as a garnish for a bit of extra colour and flavour, but not hugely necessary in this particular case. Two tablespoons is a pretty finishing touch, but doesn't make a huge difference to the final dish, so you can safely leave it out if necessary. ^Back

I really liked these noodles. The marinated eggplant was delicious! And instead of using plain tofu (as called for in the recipe), I opted to swap it out for a mix of smoked tofu and marinated black bean tofu. And I think both went very well with the overall dish.

I think the only changes that I'd make next time would be to cook the eggplant for slightly longer. And to use slightly more soy sauce and less oil in the dressing for the noodles. Oh, and I might try adding a grated carrot or two next time. It was very good as is, but I think it would be even better with a few more veggies. And grated carrot is very quick and easy to add and something that I generally have on hand.

Soba Noodle Salad with Marinated Eggplant and Tofu

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Eggplant

• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar¹
• 2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce²
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Asian eggplants, halved and sliced 1cm thick

Noodles

• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 2 tsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 275g soba noodles

Assembly

• 2 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil
• 375g firm, smoked, and/or dry marinated tofu (五香豆干), cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 carrot, grated (optional)
• 5 green onions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Combine the sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, pepper, and garlic for the marinade and stir to mix.
2. Add the eggplant, toss to coat, and set aside for 1 hour.
3. Combine the sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger paste for the dressing and stir to mix.
4. Cook the soba according to package diretions³, rinse under cold water, and drain.
5. Toss the noodles with the dressing and set aside.
6. Heat a wok over medium-high heat.
7. Drizzle in the oil and swirl to coat.
8. Add the marinated eggplant and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes.
9. Add eggplant to bowl with noodles and return wok to heat.
10. Add tofu to wok (along with a little more oil if necessary) and stir-fry until crispy (~5 minutes).
11. Add tofu to bowl with noodles.
12. Add carrot (if using) and green onions and toss to combine.
13. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

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¹ I didn't have any sherry vinegar, so I substituted cane vinegar. I think apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar would also work well though. ^Back
2 The recipe didn't specify whether to use dark or light soy sauce, so I used a mix. I think I'd just use straight dark soy for the marinade next time though. That said, I think either would be fine in a pinch. ^Back
3 The recipe called for boiling the soba for 6 minutes in salted water, but the package instructions specifically called for unsalted water and only 4 minutes of cooking. We opted to trust the package over the cookbook. I would recommend doing the same for whatever noodles you end up using. Six minutes definitely would have been way too much. ^Back

Katarikai Bhajee (Fried Eggplant Curry)

This curry was delicious! Eggplant can be somewhat hit or miss with me, but this was definitely a hit. The eggplant ends up cooked just right and isn't overly greasy and the chilies give it a nice, spicy kick.

I'm always amazed at the complexity of flavours that can be coaxed out of just a few spices. This curry relies on coriander seeds, chilies, mustard seeds, toasted lentils, and a bit of turmeric. Curry leaves and cilantro round things out. But there really isn't that much to it. And yet it tastes amazingly full-bodied and intricate. Definitely a strong recommend from me. Especially since it's also relatively quick and easy to make. You really can't go wrong!

Katarikai Bhajee

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
• 5 dried red Thai, cayenne, or arbol chilies
• 3 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils (mapte beans/white lentils/urad dal), divided
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 450g eggplant¹, cut into 5mm cubes
• 15 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 c. water
• ~3/4 c. diced tomato²
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the coriander seeds, chilies, and 2 Tbsp. of the lentils and cook until lentils have browned and chilies begin turning black (~3 minutes).
3. Immediately remove from heat and strain toasted mix out of pan with a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the oil as possible.
4. Transfer the toasted spices to a plate to cool. Once cooled, transfer to a spice grinder and finely grind. Set aside.
5. Return pan to medium-high heat.
6. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they stopp popping (30-60 seconds).
7. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of lentils and stir-fry until golden (~30 seconds).
8. Add the eggplant and curry leaves and stir-fry for ~5 minutes.
9. Add the salt and turmeric and stir to combine.
10. Add the water and bring to a boil.
11. Simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is soft and sauce has been mostly absorbed (~10 minutes).
12. Add the tomato, ground spices, and cilantro.
13. Serve with plain yogurt or a raita of your choice.³

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¹ I used Asian eggplants for my rendition of this curry. I removed the stems, but left the skin on. Italian eggplant will also work fine, but I would advise peeling it as the skin on this variety tends to be somewhat tougher than on the smaller, Asian/Japanese varieties. ^Back
2 The original recipe calls for 1 "medium-sized" tomato, cored and chopped. I didn't have any fresh tomatoes on hand, so I elected to use canned diced tomatoes. I put four big spoonfuls in, which I figure probably worked out to ~3/4 c. I think a little more or a little less also would have been fine. Follow your heart and adjust to taste. ^Back
3 We were all out of yogurt, so our curry had to be served unaccompanied this time. I do highly recommend having it with some sort of yogurt-based side/topping if you can though. I think the cooling tartness would complement the curry well, plus it's a convenient way to add a bit of extra protein to the meal and make it somewhat more nutritionally complete. ^Back

I made this as a side dish to go with... something. I no longer remember what. (This is what I get for not posting my recipe write-ups promptly.)

It was good, but not outstanding. I found the glazing while grilling to be a bit fiddly. I think I would have preferred something that I could have grilled without the glaze or vice versa. So, fine overall, but probably not something I'll do again.

Miso-Glazed Grilled Eggplant

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 6mm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 c. white miso
• 1/2 tsp. Sriracha
• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. mirin
• 1-2 Tbsp. water
• 4 Asian eggplants, halved lengthwise
• salt and pepper, to taste
• canola or peanut oil
• 3 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Prepare gas or charcoal grill for direct heat grilling over medium-high heat.
2. Combine ginger, garlic, miso, Sriracha, vinegar, mirin, and water and purée until smooth.
3. Sprinkle eggplant halves with salt and pepper and brush with oil.
4. Arrange eggplant pieces, cut-side-down, on the grill, cover, and cook until they being to soften and become slightly charred (6-8 minutes).
5. Flip and cook, covered, for another 3-4 minutes.
6. Brush with glaze, cover, and cook until eggplant is fully tender (3-4 minutes longer).
7. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with green onions, and serve.

I thought this looked like a nice veggie curry. I like that the inclusion of tofu gives it a bit of protein, although I think it would've been nice with a few more different kinds of vegetables in. I added an onion, but I think carrot and/or bell pepper would have been nice too.

Vietnamese-Style Eggplant-Tofu Curry

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil
• 680g Asian eggplant, cubed
• 1 onion, sliced lengthwise
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. red curry paste
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 (420mL) can coconut milk
• 1 c. chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp. lime zest
• 375g extra-firm tofu, cubed
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Thai basil (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add eggplant and stir-fry until slightly browned (~4 minutes).
3. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry for another minute or so.
4. Add the curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk, chicken stock, and tofu and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Add green onions, cilantro, basil (if using), and lime juice.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with rice.

Fusilli Corti alla Campagnola (Fusilli with Eggplant, Zucchini, and Bell Pepper)

As if often the case with Hazan's recipes, I find the ratio of sauce to pasta a bit low, so I cranked up the sauce significantly here while leaving the pasta quantity alone. End result was tasty but lacking in protein; might want to be served as a side dish, or perhaps combined with eggs somehow.

Fusilli Corti alla Campagnola

The Classic Pasta Cookbook by Guiliano Hazan (p.122)

Ingredients

• 450g dry, store-bought fusilli or similar pasta
• ½ C olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 chinese eggplants (about 600g), peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1cm cubes
• 2-3 bell peppers, cored and cut into 1cm squares
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 (400mL) tin diced tomatoes
• fresh basil, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, ~5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the eggplant. (It will immediately soak up the oil; this is normal.) Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Uncover and stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5-10 minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking until they have reduced and separated from the oil, another 5-10 minutes.
7. Cook the pasta al dente, then stir the basil into the sauce, toss with the pasta, and serve.

Katarikai Goshtu (Eggplant Stew)

Iyer presents this as a chunky eggplant curry in a rich tamarind broth. Apparently it is more typically served mashed, rather than chunky, but Iyer prefers the un-mashed texture and I didn't really feel like going to the extra effort of mashing it. I think it would've been fine either way, personally.

Sadly, the Kidlet didn't really like this one. But TF and I both did. It still doesn't surpass a good baingan bharta as my favourite eggplant curry, but it is very nice. And it's also relatively easy to throw together, which I appreciate.

Photo goes here.

Katarikai Goshtu

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 2 Tbsp. skinned split black lentils/mapte beans (urad dal)
• 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
• 4-6 dried red Thai, cayenne, or arbol chilies
• 2 Tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 large eggplant (~680g), peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes
• 1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 15 fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste or concentrate
• 1 c. water

Directions

1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and toss the lentils, coriander, and chilies with the oil to coat.
2. Add the oil-coated mixture to the pan and toast over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a plate to cool.
4. Once the spices are cool to the touch, transfer to a spice grinder, grind, and set aside.
5. Now melt the ghee over medium-high heat, add the mustard seeds, and cook, covered, until the seeds have stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
6. Add the eggplant, salt, and curry leaves and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
7. Dissolve the tamarind paste/concentrate in the water and pour it over the eggplant.
8. Stir in the ground spices.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very soft (10-15 minutes).
10. Serve with ven pongal, idli, or another substrate of your choie.

I love all the flavours that go into this. And the resulting towers were quite tasty and looked nice. But I found the assembly a bit cumbersome. I think they'd be just as delicious with everything piled onto a serving platter where everyone can dish up their own portions, rather than trying to assemble each one individually.

Fried Egg and Eggplant Towers

Slightly adapted from The Good Egg by Marie Simmons

Ingredients

• 6 (1cm thick) slices of peeled eggplant
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 6 (1cm thick) slices of tomato
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 (5-6mm thick) slices fresh mozzarella
• 6 large eggs
• 1/3 c. fresh basil leaves, sliced fine (chiffonade)
• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Sprinkle ~1/4 tsp. of salt on the eggplant slices and set aside.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the tomato and fry for ~1 minute on each side.
4. Remove from pan, sprinkle with ~1/4 tsp. of the salt and pepper to taste. Set aside¹.
5. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30-60 seconds.
6. Pour garlic oil over tomatoes.
7. Reduce heat to medium, add the eggplant to the pan, cover, and cook for a minute or two on each side.
8. Add 2 Tbsp. of oil and cook for another 2-3 minutes per side.
9. Remove from pan and set aside².
10. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1-2 tsp. of the remaining oil.
11. Crack an egg into a cup and carefully pour it into the pan. Repeat with 2-3 more eggs.
12. Cook, uncovered, for 1 minute, then cover the pan and continue cooking for 4-6 minutes depending on how done you want your yolks.
13. If constructing individual egg towers: Place one slice of tomato on each plate (reserving tomato juices separately). Sprinkle with a little of the basil. Place a slice of eggplant on top and sprinkle with more basil. Place a slice of cheese on top of this, followed by one of the eggs. Otherwise, just transfer the eggs to the serving platter with everything else.
14. If constructing individual egg towers: Scrape the reserved tomato juices back into the pan, add the vinegar, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Drizzle ~1 tsp. of the dressing over each egg tower.
    If making one big platter: Simply deglaze the pan with the vinegar and pour this over the eggs.
15. Sprinkle with a little more basil and serve.

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¹ If you'd like to make one big dish that everyone serves themselves from, then transfer the tomatoes straight from the pan to a serving platter. ^Back
2 If you're not doing individual portions, then the eggplant can just be piled on top of the tomatoes on the serving platter. ^Back

I feel like the flavours in this stir-fry could use a little tweaking. Not that it was bad. Everyone (including me) seemed to like it just fine. I just felt like it wasn't quite as good as it could be. I'm wondering if a little shaoxing wine might be the way to go. I'm used to seeing it in a lot of Chinese stir-fries, but it doesn't tend to come up as much in American ones. I feel like it might help balance things out a bit.

Beef and Eggplant Stir-Fry

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2017

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil, divided
• 600g eggplant, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1-2 fresh red Thai or cayenne chilies, chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
• 450g extra-lean (95%) ground beef
• 4 scallions, sliced thin, whites and greens separated
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the oyster sauce, rice vinegar, shaoxing wine, and light soy sauce and set aside.
2. Heat wok over medium-high heat.
3. Drizzle in 3 Tbsp. of oil and wait a moment for it to heat up.
4. Add the eggplant and cook until tender and browned (8-10 minutes).
5. Add dark soy sauce, toss to combine, and immediately remove from heat.
6. Transfer eggplant to a plate.
7. Return wok to heat and drizzle in remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil.
8. Add the chilies, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for 10-20 seconds.
9. Add the beef and cook until browned and cooked through (3-4 minutes).
10. Pour in the sauce and add the white parts of the scallions and cook until slightly thickened (1-2 minutes).
11. Sprinkle with green parts of scallions and sesame seeds (if using) and serve over rice.

Got this recipe from an old friend on IRC. I had some trouble with lumpy miso but in the end it came together nicely and symbol and I both liked it, although Alex wasn't a fan

Miso-Glazed Eggplant with Cheese

Mahal

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant, cut into 1.5cm slices
• olive oil
• 2 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• a generous amount of grated melty cheese, like mozzarella

Directions

1. Brush eggplant slices on one side with oil and arrange oil side down on a baking sheet.
2. Score exposed face and brush that with oil, too.
3. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
4. While baking, whisk together miso, wine, mirin, and sugar.
5. Remove eggplant from oven, brush generously with miso glaze, and return to oven for another 15 minutes.
6. Remove from oven again, top with cheese, and return to oven for another 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melty and browned.
7. Serve.

I've put this recipe on my short list many times over the last few years. It always sounds promising, but somehow I never quite seem to get around to making it. Not this time! I finally made it. And it was great!

I ended up using tinned tomatoes instead of fresh because I had some open in the fridge that needed to be used up. And I couldn't get any fresh basil, so I had to roll with dried. Not my preference, but whatcha gonna do?

I think the only possible change I'd make is to double the sauce quantity. I mean, it was fine the way it was. I think it was an appropriate amount of sauce for one pound of pasta. But the sauce was tasty and I wouldn't've been opposed to having even more of it. Plus, it'd give you more veggies per portion. So that seems like a win.

Bucatini with Eggplant and Tomatoes

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country October/November 2018

Ingredients

• 500g eggplant, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 450g bucatini
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 c. diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
• Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions

1. Toss eggplant with sugar and salt, cover, and microwave for ~6 minutes.
2. Line a plate with paper towels, transfer eggplant to prepared plate, and set aside to drain.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil¹, add the pasta, and cook until al dente.
4. Reserve 1/2 c. of the pasta cooking water, then drain the noodles and set aside.
5. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the now-empty pot.
6. Add the eggplant and pepper and cook for ~4 minutes.
7. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.
8. Add tomatoes and reserved cooking water and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.
9. Remove from heat and add pasta. Toss to combine.
10. Sprinkle with basil and serve topped with cheese.

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Variations

Double Sauce Variation

Ingredients

• 1kg eggplant, peeled and cut into 1cm pieces
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 3 tsp. sugar
• 450g bucatini
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 c. diced tomatoes
• 4 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (or 2 Tbsp. dried)
• Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, to serve

Eggplant will likely need more time in the microwave to soften and cook.

Vegan Version

The recipe is already vegan as is. Just make sure you're using vegan sugar and don't top it with cheese at the end. Or, alternatively, top it with nutritional yeast or a plant-based cheese of your choice.

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¹ Cook's Country recommends 4 quarts (~4L) of water with 1 Tbsp. of salt. I always found I that liked my noodles just fine -- usually even better, actually -- without the salt, so I never used to salt the water. Lately I have been finding that I do appreciate a little salt, but I still don't add anywhere near as much as they call for. For 3-4L of water and 450g of pasta, I've found that 1 tsp. of salt is about right for me. ^Back

This was the original salad that I had planned for our Moroccan meal with TM. It was a big hit and definitely a recipe that I can see myself coming back to when a meal needs another vegetable side. I needs to be made a day ahead. But, on the bright side, that means you can make it in advance and not have an extra dish to go with dinner that doesn't have to be made at the same time as everything else! The author notes that giving it several days in the fridge before serving will improve it even more.

Eggplant Zaalouk

Slightly adapted from The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert

Ingredients

• 2 medium black eggplants (~340g each)
• 5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 450g fresh tomatoes, chopped¹ or 2 c. drained chopped canned tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp. sugar (if the tomatoes are particularly acidic)
• 1 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 3/4 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne²
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

1. Pierce each eggplant in a few places with a toothpick or fork.
2. Either slowly grill over coals until blackened and collapsed (20-30 minutes) or halve and cook, cut-side-down, on a baking sheet set under a broiler until blackened and tender (~20 minutes).
3. Transfer the cooked eggplant to a colander and peel while still hot. Allow to drain until cool.
4. Gently squeeze peeled eggplant to remove any bitter juices.
5. Heat 3 Tbsp. of the oil over medium-low heat.
6. Add the tomatoes, sugar (if using), garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
7. Mash the eggplant with a fork and addit to the tomato mixture in the skillet.
8. Add the cilantro and cook, stirring often, for another 10-15 minutes.
9. Transfer to a container and mix in the lemon juice.
10. Adjust salt and lemon juice to taste.
11. Let cool, then cover and chill overnight (or longer).
12. Just before serving, allow salad to come to room temperature and drizzle with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil.

¹As with many of Wolfert's recipes, this one calls for peeled and seeded tomatoes. I usually can't be bothered to do that, so I just cored and chopped some fresh tomatoes and used them. But if you would like an extra-nice salad, then peeling and seeding your tomatoes would probably give a better result. ^Back
2 I actually swapped out the cayenne for ground Kashmiri chilies as I really enjoy their flavour. I think hot paprika would also work well here. ^Back

I used to be vehemently opposed to eggplant as a food. I hated it. Then I realized that babaganouj was generally okay. So that was the exception, but eggplant was still terrible in general. Then I discovered that eggplant parmesan was good. And so was fish-fragrant eggplant (as long as it was appropriately fried and garlic-y). And baingan bharta. So, I started thinking that maybe eggplant wasn't so bad after all.

I went through a similar process with chickpeas. And now I love them. Unfortunately eggplant hasn't followed quite the same path. While I no longer avoid it outright, I still find it very hit and miss. I still find it really gross a lot of the time. But then sometimes it's completely delicious!

I honestly wasn't holding out much hope for this particular recipe. Frying the eggplant gives it a leg up, sure. But it didn't seem to have much else going for it. Just fried eggplant with a bit of charmoula. And while charmoula is very good, I wasn't sure it'd be enough to make this dish tasty. But, I've been surprised by recipes before. So I figured it was worth a try. And I'm very glad that I did try it! It was wonderful! Easily my favourite dish of the meal (which also included chickpeas, carrot salad, and tagine bread.

Eggplant with Charmoula

Slightly adapted from The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert

Ingredients

Charmoula

• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne
• 3/4 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 Tbsp. lemon or orange juice
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil

Eggplant

• 2 eggplants (~680g)
• coarse sea salt
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Combine all the charmoula ingredients and set aside.
2. Slice the eggplant ~2cm thick and salt both sides.
3. Place in a colander -- make sure it's not aluminum! -- and place a paper towel and something heavy on top. Set aside for 30-60 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a baking sheet.
5. Pat the eggplant dry and brush with olive oil on both sides.
6. Place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
7. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for ~30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
8. Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat.
9. Add the eggplant slices (a couple at a time) to the hot oil and fry until both sides are brown (~1 minute/side).
10. Allow excess oil to drain from fried eggplant, then transfer to shallow serving dish.
11. Whisk the charmoula well, then drizzle it over the eggplant.
12. Sprinkle with parsley and cilantro.
13. Let stand for at least 1 hour before serving.

Kuru Patlican ve Biber Dolmasi (Stuffed Dried Eggplant and Peppers)

I made a lot of impulse purchases at the halal grocery store a few months back. There were lots of interesting and tasty-looking things and I just kind of grabbed a bit of each without being entirely sure what I was going to do with it all. I think we've managed to use up almost all of the jams and preserves now. And all of the sweets. But I still had a bag each of dried eggplants and dried peppers that had yet to be used. As well as a jar of Turkish pepper flakes. (And a bunch of dried citrus as well, but that doesn't come into play in this recipe, so we'll just ignore it for now.)

Dolma Kuru Patlican Dolmasi

Slightly adapted from Ozlem's Turkish Table

Ingredients

• 12 dried eggplant shells
• 15 dried bell pepper shells
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 Tbsp. biber salcasi (Turkish hot pepper paste) or 1 tsp. Turkish pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 2 tsp. dried mint
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 c. long-grain brown rice
• 450g ground beef
• 2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses¹

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the dried shells. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain, reserving the water.
2. Shock the blanched shells in some very cold water, then drain again and set aside.
3. Combine onion, garlic, parsley, pepper paste (or flakes), tomato paste, 1 Tbsp. of the oil, cumin, mint, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
4. Massage and squeeze the mixture with your hands for a minute or two.
5. Add the rice, beef, and pomegranate molasses and mix well.
6. Pour the remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil into the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven.
7. Stuff the shells with the filling. Pack it down a little bit, but don't fill them right up to the top. The filling will expand as the rice cooks.
8. As each shell is filled, place it in the pan. Try to fit them all into just one layer if possible.
9. Pour ~2 1/2 c. of the reserved cooking water into the pot with the dolma.
10. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and cook for another 35 minutes.
11. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5-10 minutes before serving.
12. Serve with Turkish pepper flakes, plain yogurt, and/or tzatziki.

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¹ I only just realized that I forgot the pomegranate molasses! The ingredients were listed in a weird order and I had to keep jumping around the recipe. The dolma came out delicious anyway, but I did feel like they needed more tomato and/or more acid. The pomegranate molasses probably would've balanced everything out beautifully! Oh well, I guess I can drizzle some over the leftovers tomorrow. ^Back

Batirsh (Eggplant Dip with Tomato Sauce and Ground Lamb)

I've only ever had eggplant dip as an appetizer/mezze. I was intrigued to find this main course dish that uses baba ganouj/mutabal as its base. It's really good. The different flavours and textures all complement each other really well. It's meant to be enjoyed as-is on pitas or bell peppers, but I like to add another layer and a bit of grilled halloumi and mint to my pita.

Batirsh

Slightly adapted from Our Syria by Itab Azzam and Dina Mousawi

Ingredients

• 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 400-500g fresh tomatoes, blended OR canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 250g ground lamb
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1 recipe mutabal
• 1-2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
• 2 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• flatbread and bell peppers, to serve

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant and just starting to brown.
3. Add tomatoes and salt, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat.
5. Add the lamb to the oil and cook, breaking up any large chunks, until all the pink is gone. You may season the lamb with salt and pepper if desired. I used ~1/2 tsp. of coarse sea salt and maybe two dozen grinds of pepper.
6. Place the mutabal in a serving dish, layer some tomato sauce on top of it and place the lamb on top of that.
7. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley and serve with pita wedges and pieces of bell pwpper for dipping.

Mutabal (Eggplant Dip)

I grew up eating an eggplant dip very much like this. Everyone seems to call it baba ganouj here. It's very garlicky and delicious. This seems to be a very similar dish, but apparently "baba ganouj/ganoush" is something completely different in Syria and they call this dip "mutabal". It's a little less garlicky and more lemony than the version I grew up with, but very similar otherwise.

I strongly recommend charring the eggplant over an open flame if you can. It makes a world of difference. Personally, I think wood or charcoal gives a better flavour than gas. I've tried cooking my eggplants under a gas broiler and directly over a gas burner on the stove, but the flavour when I did them on a charcoal barbecue was much, much better. That said, if you don't have any way of doing a wood or charcoal fire, gas will work. And the dip will still be nice. It just won't have the same smoky element to it.

Mutabal

Slightly adapted from Our Syria by Itab Azzam and Dina Mousawi

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
• 2 cloves garlic¹
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 3 Tbsp. plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. tahini
• juice of 1 lemon²
• olive oil, to serve
• polegranate arils, to serve (optional)
• flatbread and/or veggies, to serve

Directions

1. Fire up your grill, preheat your broiler, or turn on a gas burner.
2. Poke the eggplants all over with a sharp knife.
3. Cook over (or under) open flame, turning occasionally, until the skin is blackened and crispy all over. The flesh will get very soft and the skin will begin to split. Make sure the eggplants are thoroughly charred over their entire surface.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Carefully peel off the blackened skin. Discard the skin and stems.
6. Mash or purée the flesh.
7. Crush the garlic and salt with a mortar and pestle and add it to the mashed eggplant.
8. Mix in the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
10. Drizzle with olive oil.
11. Sprinkle a few pomegranate arils on top (if using)
12. Serve with wedges of flatbread for dipping.

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¹ If you're feeling lazy, you can swap out the fresh garlic for garlic paste. ^Back
2 I found my mutabal to be very lemony. I was using it for batrish, so the strong lemon flavour ended up balancing out with the other ingredients, but I think it would've been too strong on its own. If you're planning on serving the mutabal alone, it might be worth holding back half the lemon juice. Taste it and see if you think it needs the rest first. ^Back

Rotini alle Verdure con Salsiccia

This is adapted from "Fettucine alle Verdure" in The Classic Pasta Cookbook; I've probably mangled the Italian in adapting the recipe title to add sausages. The original recipe takes a while to make, but very little effort, and is tasty; however, it's entirely lacking in protein. symbol suggested adding the sausages we had just speculatively prefetched to it, with delicious results. I cooked the sausages separately and added them post hoc, as they were a last-minute addition; this recipe has written as I would have cooked it had the sausages been planned in from the start.

If you're a bit scant on eggplant (as we were) you can always toss in an extra bell pepper. We used Beyond Meat sausages, but I expect it would work just fine with actual pork, too.

Rotini alle Verdure coi Salsiccia

The Classic Pasta Cookbook p.92

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• ¼ C olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb mild italian sausages, skinned and broken apart
  
• 2 C eggplant, peeled and cut into ½" cubes
• 2 C zucchini, cut into ½" cubes
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½" squares
• salt and black pepper
• 1 lb dried rotini
• ¼ C freshly grated parmesan
  

Directions

1. Half the red bell peppers. Place them on a baking sheet and broil until black and blistered, ~8 minutes. Remove to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand 20 minutes.
2. Remove the bell peppers from the bowl, scrape off the blistered skin, remove the cores, and add to a blender with the butter. Blend low until it forms a uniform red sauce.
3. While the bell peppers are resting, add the olive oil and garlic to a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
4. Once the garlic is sizzling, add the sausage, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Mix well and then cover, cooking until the vegetables and tender and the sausage is cooked through, ~15 minutes.
5. While all this is happening, start the water boiling for the pasta, and cook it al dente.
   
6. When the vegetables are done, add the bell pepper sauce, along with salt and black pepper to taste; remove from the heat.
7. When the pasta is done, add it and the parmesan to the skillet, toss together, and serve.
   

This reminds me a bit of Hamburger Helper, if Hamburger Helper had flavours other than salty. Rather than ground beef and pasta, it's ground beef and potatoes, but it's a similar idea. We served it with a simple Indian bell pepper and pea curry to add a little veg to the meal. I think it would probably also be good with some peas stirred right into the pan during cooking.

The author actually lists a spicy variant of this recipe from Rakhine. It adds minced galangal and several fresh green chilies. I think I'd like that version even better, but I refrained from using those additions because I figured it would make the Kidlet sad. (Also, I was all out of galangal.)

Duguid also notes that this is a very flexible dish. She mentions that it takes well to having mushrooms added along with the meat. It can calso be made with ground lamb or goat instead of beef. (Personally, I'd be tempted to try chunks of bone-in stewing goat as well.) And she said that adding cubes of eggplant either in addition to or instead of the potato makes for a pleasant dish as well. So, basically, keep the spices the same, but use whatever meat, starch, and/or veg you have and feel free to experiment and change it up!

Saucy Spiced Meat and Potatoes

Slightly adapted from Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid

Ingredients

• 450g lean ground beef
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 1 Tbsp. minced galangal (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. peanut (or other neutral) oil
• 1/4 c. minced shallot or 1 small red onion, minced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 450g potatoes, cut into 2-3cm cubes
• 1-2 c. water
• 3 fresh green Thai chilies, halved lengthwise
• 1 c. diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground (optional)

Directions

1. Mix salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and galangal (if using) into beef, cover, and set aside for 30-60 minutes.
2. Heat oil over medium heat¹.
3. Add shallot and ginger and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
4. Add potatoes and cook until lightly browned (~5 minutes).
5. Raise heat to medium-high and add 1 c. water² and chilies (if using), cover, and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just shy of being tender (~10 minutes).
7. Add the meat mixtures along with another 1/2 c. of water if it seems to need it.
8. Stir in the tomatoes and chili powder.
9. Add a little more water if you like a thinner sauce or if the pan is getting dry.
10. Simmer, uncovered, until meat is cooked through and potatoes are tender.
11. Stir in black pepper (if using) and adjust seasoning to taste.
12. Serve with salad and/or a vegetable side.

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¹ Either a wok or a skillet will work for this recipe. That said, having now cooked it once in a skillet, I do think a wok would be the better tool for the job. Next time I'll definitely make it in a wok. ^Back
2 I added the full 2 c. of water at this point because I was using a large skillet and 1 c. wasn't enough to cover the potatoes. The large surface area also meant the water boiled off relatively quickly. And, because I was waiting on another curry to finish cooking, I ended up leaving it on low for quite a while after it was done. All this meant that even with the full 2 c. of water, the sauce was quite thick by the time it was done. If you're using a wok or don't need to hold it on the heat after cooking, then 1 c. may be all the water you need. ^Back