How To Cook Eggplant

Akbar, the Mughal emperor sang laurels of its amazing texture and taste. It stayed on as an ornamental plant for nearly a century in the western world! People were scared to eat it because they thought it contained poison! The Italians called it “Mala insana “or the “apple of madness”, popularly known as mad apples! If you are wondering which this weirdly interesting vegetable is, break your head no more. It is the beloved eggplant, popularly known as the Brinjal. In India it is christened with names likes baingan, badne, katrikai and gulla. Most people have only two opinions about the eggplant; they either hate it or love it. Eggplants belong to the notorious nightshade family of vegetables and contain certain alkaloid substances that are believed to be harmful to human beings. Nevertheless, for ardent eggplant lovers that is hardly good enough reason, to stop them from devouring these wondrous vegetables. If you are wondering what to whip for your family with eggplants, here are some ways through which you can make your meal both sumptuous and interesting.

Tips For Cooking Eggplant

Take large eggplants, slit them into tiny slices, and add salt to them. Some varieties of eggplants are bitter, so they are usually slit into rounds, salted, and allowed to sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Then they are rinsed, chopped, and used.
You could also fry eggplant rounds in olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and tender. Make sure you don’t use too much oil, as eggplants have the tendency of absorbing a lot of oil.
Eggplants can also be grilled lightly over medium to medium-high heat for about 10 minutes per side or until tender.
They can also be eaten broiled. Broil lightly oiled eggplant slices for about 5 minutes per side, until brown and tender.
Cut slits into a whole eggplant, stuff a few slices of garlic into each slit, and roast the eggplant in a 400-degree F oven for 40 to 60 minutes, or until collapsed and completely tender. Peel the eggplant, then chop or mash into a puree.
Pair eggplant with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs such as basil, parsley, and mint.
Make a classic Chinese dish by stir frying eggplants with garlic, red chili, and a little ground pork.

Spicy Roasted Eggplant Recipe

Ingredients

2 medium Eggplants
1 medium Onion(finely chopped)
2 small Tomatoes (diced)
2 large cloves of Garlic (finely minced)
1 piece of Ginger, (1 inch - peeled and finely minced)
2 small Green Chilies( cut in half lengthwise)
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp ground Cumin
½ tsp ground Coriander
¼ tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Garam Masala
2 tbsp of Oil (Vegetable or Canola)
Handful of freshly chopped Cilantro leaves(for garnish)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly brush the eggplants with a little bit of oil on all sides and place on a foil lined baking sheet.
Bake until the eggplants are charred and collapsed.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool until needed, the key is the charred flavor of the eggplant.
In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the onions.
Stir-fry the onions on medium heat until soft and golden brown.
Next, add the garlic, ginger, green chilies, and all of the spices including salt and pepper.
After an additional 5 minutes, add the tomatoes.
Remove the outer charred skin from the eggplants and discard. Mash the eggplants well with a fork and add (along with any juices) to the skillet containing the spicy onion and tomato mixture.
Mix well to combine, and garnish with coriander.

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