Eggplant for eggplant haters?
Posted by curiale on Aug 16, 2006 · Member since Sep 2005 · 116 posts
I was wondering if anyone has any tried and true recipes for eggplant that sort of disguise it...
I just got a large eggplant in my CSA box and I have no idea what to do with it. I don't generally like eggplant...it's kind of slimy and i dislike the texture and taste. i've had eggplant parmesan, fried eggplant, and various asian style eggplant but haven't liked any of those. Does anyone have any other suggestions on how to use this eggplant? I was thinking maybe some kind of eggplant risotto, or perhaps as a sandwich filling? Just something where I don't really know I'm eating eggplant...
Thanks in advance!
Try baigan bhartha:
1 Eggplant (medium size)
1/2 cup cooked green peas
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped tomato
1 finely chopped green chili(you can use canned-I like mild)1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Chopped green coriander leaves for garnishing
Method:
1. Brush eggplant with oil and roast it on a gas burner over medium heat.
2. Frequently turn the eggplant upside down, until fully roasted. (Alternatively-brush eggplant w/ oil and place in a 425 degree oven until blackened, turning occasionally)
3. Once done, hold it under cold running water or in a bowl full of water. Cool it and peel off the blackened skin.
4. Mash the flesh.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Add green chili and onion and fry over medium heat until light golden brown.
6. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and stir. Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
7. Add green peas and mashed eggplant. Stir well. Fry for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
You can add a bit of soy yogurt if you have it--stir it in right at the end, it adds a nice touch.
Garnish with green coriander leaves and serve hot over rice.
This is my favorite eggplant dish. :)The eggplant should be well-mashed (this takes away any eggplant texture and it is roasted (yumm!), All the delicious Indian spices cover up any strong eggplanty-ness. Don't skimp on or leave out any of the spices--they are all pretty necessary to the quality of the finished dish.
Elizabeth
hows about babaganou? it's yummy.
or chop it up and add it to tomato sauce for lasagne.
K^2
I just thought of something else:
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=7186.0
This dip is delicious. The only thing is that the recipe calls for way too much salt--reduce it by at least 1/2, possibly 2/3, you can always add more salt in at the end if needed. I've taken this to many parties and everyone adores it.
Elizabeth
thanks!! everything looks delicious!
Look on this site for Bulgarian Grilled Salad (Chopska), I can't remember where I filed it but I think it's under Hot and Cold Salads. It's several grilled veg. Make sure the eggplant is well cooked, whatever you do with it, as undercooked eggplant is *highly* indigestible for some people. If you cut the pieces small (or v. thin slices)you don't have to do the soaking-in-salt thing, which even tho rinsed, the idea of all that salt bothers me.
saw this - see link - and remembered your post curiale.
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/08/eggplant-paprikash.html
hopfrog's recipe is a surefire hit. i make that dish sometimes and it's great when accompanied with dahl.
)
this eggplant recipe looks/sounds absolutely delicious:
[url=http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/09/vegan-eggplant-parmesan.htmlhttp://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/09/vegan-eggplant-parmesan.html
I have fixed eggplant this way for 25 yrs...
1 eggplant diced, skin and all
1 c sliced celery (or more)
1 medium onion diced (or more)
1 large can of low-sodium diced tomatoes and juice
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce (the little ones)
1 8-ounce can of mushrooms, or a cup or better of fresh
1 T minced garlic (or more)
2 T olive oil
water or veggie stalk to cover
Vegan cheez shreds or Dragonfly's Uncheese Bulk recipe, prepared into 1 cup of sauce
Saute the onion and celery in the oil (and fresh 'shrooms if you are using them), add the eggplant and toss a bit. Don't attempt to really fry the eggplant because it will soak up oil till next week. Add the garlic, tomatoes, the sauce, and the canned 'shrooms if you used those rather than fresh, and stir together. Add enough stock or water to equal about one-half to two-thirds the way up the pan (I used a large skillet or electric frying pan). Let this simmer on low to medium heat until the eggplant is cooked, about 25 to 30 minutes, depending on how you cut it up. If are using vegan shreds, add them and put the lid back on for about 10 minutes, but off the heat. Vegan cheese won't melt but it will warm up. If you use the cup (or more) of my mix (made up mind you, not the powder) you drizzle that on there and let that heat under the lid and off the heat for a few minutes.
This is even better reheated the second day. I don't know what you'd call it...ratatoue or ragu of eggplant, or just that eggplant mess.
It should be noted that while eggplant is appealing and it can be made to taste nice, it is not a highly nutritious food. I mean, it is not a void of good things, but it doesn't have a lot to offer other than fiber. Beets look lovely and I love them pickled and home canned, but pretty as they are, they don't have a lot to offer nutritionally either. If you are going to be a veggie or a vegan, you need to embrace all the different veggies you possibly can. When you give up meat, you find that veggies have subtle textures and flavors and you can taste them better. You start to see your meals in terms of vegetables and not the flesh, so having some bright pink beets or purply eggplant seems to feed the eye as well as the palate, and perhaps the body's needs are less relevant sometimes.