Eggplants.

I think the first post on this blog was about tomatoes. Eggplants deserve just as much respect. I'm proud to say that in the past 2 years I have converted at least 6 eggplant-haters. Eggplants starred in my first two short films (seriously). And lately I've been looking for new things to do with them. The starting point is the same: 'Burnt' eggplant, meaning an eggplant which I roasted (in the oven or on open flame) until it's completely soft inside and has a great charcoal-y taste.

These are my three latest takes, I was very pleased with all of them.


*Baba Ganoush (Eggplant with tahini)

Ingredients:

3 eggplants. (You should always pick the lightest, shiniest, undamaged eggplants).
1/2 cup tahini.
Juice from one lemon.
3 cloves of garlic, crushed.
Handful of parsley.
Pinch of cumin.
Honey/pomegranate seeds.
Cold water.

Preparation:

- Roast the eggplants. The easiest and cleanest way is in the oven; preheat the oven to 220C, then roast the eggplants for about 40 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes or so.
- Prepare the tahini; pour the tahini into a bowl, squeeze in half a lemon (start with half, if needed add more later), and mix with a fork. start adding water, very little at a time, until you get the right texture, should be fluid but not too thin. Add the crushed garlic and cumin.
- Scoop out the flesh of the eggplants into a bowl, pour in the tahini.
- Mix using a fork or preferably a hand mixer (will result in a more appealing texture).
- Drizzle honey, or sprinkle pomegranate seeds and parsley, and serve.

*With feta and pomegranate


Ingredients:

3 eggplants.
spring onions, chopped.
lemon juice.
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed.
feta cheese.
pomegranate seeds (there's a whiter kind of pomegranate which is sweeter, it'll work better here, but either is good)
salt.

Preparation:

- Roast and scoop the eggplants (same as before).
- Mash the flesh using a fork, squeeze a little lemon juice, and mix in the garlic.
- Grate the feta, sprinkle pomegranate seeds and onions.

*With maple and soy:


Ingredients:

2 eggplants.
spring onions.
3 tbs soy sauce.
2 tbs maple syrup.
1 small cucumber or 1/3 big one.
1 dry chili/ fresh red chili.
1 garlic clove, chopped.
Canola/sunflower oil.

Preparation:

- Roast and scoop eggplant.
- Mash using a fork.
- Heat a little oil in a small pan, put in chili and garlic. Before the garlic burns (seconds later) add in soy and maple, reduce for about 3 minutes (doesn't need to be thick).
- Chop onions, cut cucumber into thin sticks.