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3 ways from around the globe to cook eggplant
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Things are winding down at my local farmers market. Gone are the tomatoes and tender lettuce greens, the fragrant basil and sweet corn. But just last week I saw a pile of purple and white streaked Japanese eggplant. And at the next farmer’s stand, I spotted bulbous fat purple Italian eggplant. It may be fall but there is still plenty of produce to enjoy.
Eggplant, also called aubergine, is a member of the nightshade family along with tomatoes and green peppers. Considered a fruit, eggplant is native to India.
When it was first introduced in England, it was thought to be poisonous. But eggplant has a meaty texture which can be sauteed, roasted, steamed, fried, baked and made into salads, fries, dips, gratin, curries, casseroles and more. It is used in cuisines all over the world and has an affinity for tomatoes, basil, anchovies, chiles, mint, ginger and garlic.
OK, so let’s deal with the two eggplant issues that plague most cooks: The first is that eggplant can be bitter. There are two simple ways to deal with this issue. The first is to know that bitterness develops with age, so you want to try to shop for eggplants at a farmers market where the eggplant will be younger and fresher– and less bitter.
If you're buying eggplant from the supermarket, the best way to draw out the bitter juice is to salt the flesh. Cut the eggplant in half or into multiple pieces (depending on what the recipe calls for), place in a colander and sprinkle liberally with fine salt. Place a plate on top and weigh it down with a can of soup or beans to push the eggplant down. Leave for about 20 to 30 minutes. Bitter juices will be released. Gently rinse the eggplant pieces in cold water to remove the salt and dry thoroughly.
The second issue is that eggplant flesh is like a sponge and soaks up large quantities of other flavors and cooking oil. Oil is a problem. Other flavors can be a good thing. To avoid soaking up a lot of oil, I like to roast the eggplant first to soften it so it doesn't need to be cooked in lots of oil. Wrap the eggplant whole in foil and place in a 350 to 400-degree oven for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size, or until the eggplant just feels soft when gently pressed with your fingers. It doesn’t need to be thoroughly cooked, but just soft enough so it won’t need to spend a lot of time cooking in oil. Alternately you can place the whole eggplant directly on a hot grill (about 400 degrees) and cook for about 15 minutes, tossing the eggplant from side to side, until deflated and soft to the touch. Remove from the hot grill and let cool for 5 minutes before removing the peel.
Eggplant varieties
There are dozens of different types of eggplant in every shape, size, color and texture. There are even more heirloom varieties. Some of the most popular include:
- Fairy tale eggplant, an heirloom variety that tends to be small (about 2 to 4 inches), has fewer seeds than other varieties and a moist texture with little bitterness. Particularly good for grilling.
- Globe eggplant, also called American eggplant, tends to be large and meaty. They are great for grilling and good to use whole for dips.
- Graffiti or Sicilian eggplant has gorgeous violet-purple and white stripes, and ranges from small to large in size. They are oblong with a fruity flavor and can be used for virtually any eggplant dish.
- Indian or baby eggplant are a small, squat variety with a rich purple color. They are ideal for curries or can be cooked whole and used in dips or, because of their cool shape, are ideal for stuffing.
- Italian eggplant is a bit smaller with thinner skin and tender flesh, and is a good multipurpose eggplant. They are excellent for eggplant Parmesan.
- Japanese eggplant and Chinese eggplant: A long, narrow variety. Japanese eggplant has a deeper purple color while Chinese eggplant is more of a lavender color. Both varieties are fairly thin-skinned with way fewer seeds, a sweet flavor and a slightly firmer texture. They are great for stir fries.
- Thai eggplant: Small and round, with a greenish-white color, this eggplant looks like a big fig. They tend to be bitter and are best salted to draw out the bitter juices before cooking. They are excellent used in stews and curries.
- White eggplant comes in many varieties and has the same flesh as purple eggplant but a tougher skin and a milder, slightly more delicate flavor.
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Here are three new vegetarian recipes that draw inspiration from around the world. The first is a take on the classic Filipino dish, chicken adobo, that uses eggplant rather than chicken. It’s rich with a garlic-ginger-coconut sauce and a great vegetarian dinner for any day of the week. A Middle Eastern-inspired eggplant dish with a tahini sauce and fresh herbs will brighten any table. And from India, a take on the classic Eggplant Bharta, where eggplant is grilled or broiled until deflated, mashed and then mixed with garlic, chiles, cilantro and tomatoes.
Eggplant adobo
Chicken adobo is the national dish of the Philippines, with its tart vinegar, soy and coconut milk base. There are hundreds of variations of this Filipino favorite, and one of them uses eggplant instead of chicken.
Here I salt eggplant pieces in salt to rid it of any bitter juices, rinse and dry, and then crisp the eggplant up with a touch of oil in a hot wok or skillet. The eggplant is transferred to a paper towel-lined plate while you stir fry a whole lot of garlic, ginger, scallions, and black pepper in soy sauce, black (or rice) vinegar and rich coconut milk. The eggplant is added to the garlicky broth and simmered until soft and silky. Serve over rice, sprinkled with chopped scallions.
Serves 2 to 4.
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant (you can use any variety you can find but Chinese, Japanese, or small Italian eggplant is preferred), ends trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- Salt
- About 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 4 scallions, ends trimmed: 3 of them cut into 1-inch pieces, and 1 very finely chopped for garnish
- 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1/2 cup black or rice wine vinegar
- One 13.5 ounce can whole coconut milk
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Jasmine or white rice
Instructions
- Place the eggplant in a colander set over a plate and sprinkle liberally with salt. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes to drain. After 20 minutes gently rinse in cold water and thoroughly dry on paper towels or a clean brown paper bag.
- In a wok or large Dutch oven or skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat. Add half the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels or a clean brown paper bag. Repeat with the remaining eggplant adding another 1/2 tablespoon of oil if needed.
- Heat the wok or skillet over medium-high heat adding an additional tablespoon of oil if needed. Add the garlic, chopped and sliced ginger, and scallion pieces and cook for 1 minute stirring. Stir in the browned eggplant pieces. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, coconut milk and several grindings of black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover the wok or skillet and raise the heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes, letting the sauce cook down and thicken slightly. The eggplant should be very soft and silky. Serve hot sprinkled with the chopped scallion on top of rice.
Grilled eggplant with tahini sauce and fresh herbs
This Middle Eastern-style eggplant dish adds a bright, fresh flavor to any meal. (And, as the light recedes and days get darker, bright and light flavors are more welcome than ever.) A whole eggplant is grilled (or broiled) until it deflates and is thoroughly soft inside. It is then served hot or at room temperature with a simple tahini-garlic-lemon sauce and a sprinkling of fresh green herbs like dill, parsley, cilantro, and mint. You can sprinkle the dish with finely chopped scallions and pomegranate seeds if you like for an extra flourish of color and texture and flavor. Serve with warm pita bread.
The recipe can easily be doubled to serve a larger group.
Serves 2.
Ingredients
The eggplant:
- ½ pound eggplant
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
The tahini sauce and green herbs:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup tahini, at room temperature and well stirred
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- About ½ cup boiling water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dash hot pepper sauce, optional
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill, parsley, cilantro and mint
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds, optional*
*Buy a fresh pomegranate. Cut in half and working over a bowl, turn the pomegranate over (seed side towards the bowl) and tap on the skin with a rolling pin to release the seeds.
Instructions
- Preheat a grill until hot, about 450 degrees.
- Alternately, heat a broiler to high. If grilling place the eggplant directly on the hot grates and cook, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the eggplant from side to side a few times, until it’s fully deflated, the skin is beginning to crack and when you carefully push on the eggplant the flesh feels very soft. Remove the eggplant and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes.
- If using a broiler, place the eggplant on a baking sheet or a sheet of foil and place on the upper shelf of the broiler. Broil for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping the eggplant from side to side a few times, until it’s fully deflated, the skin is beginning to crack and when you carefully push on the eggplant the flesh feels very soft.
- Meanwhile make the tahini sauce: In a medium bowl mix the garlic and tahini. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Add the olive oil and a few tablespoons of the boiling water and mix until smooth. Add more boiling water until the sauce is thinnish and drips off a spoon. The sauce may seem thin and watery but it will thicken up as it sits. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of hot sauce to taste. The tahini sauce can be made a day ahead; cover and refrigerate.
- To serve, split the still-warm eggplant in half lengthwise and make a criss-cross pattern in the flesh. Drizzle the olive oil, salt, and pepper on top.
- Spread half the tahini sauce on a serving plate. Top with the eggplant halves. Spoon another tablespoon of two of the sauce on top of the eggplant and sprinkle with the herbs, scallions and pomegranate seeds, if using. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
Baingan Bharta (Indian-style eggplant )
This Indian classic is similar to baba ganoush but here mashed eggplant is scented with Indian spices, garlic, chile pepper, and tomato. Serve with basmati rice.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, 1 large or 2 smaller eggplants
- Juice from 1 large lemon
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 large tomato, chopped or 2 plum tomatoes from a can, chopped with juice
- ½ to 1 chile pepper, with or without seeds, depending on how spicy you like it
- ½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala*
- Salt to taste
- About ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- Garnish: 1 finely chopped scallion and several tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
*There are many versions of Garam masala available at spice shops, grocery stores and the mix generally includes cumin, fennel, coriander, pepper, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom.
Instructions
- Heat a charcoal or gas grill until hot, about 400 degrees. Alternatively, you can preheat the broiler. Place the eggplant directly on the grill (or just below the broiler on a cookie sheet) and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and freshness, tossing from side to side a few times, until thoroughly delated. When you carefully and gently press on the eggplant it should be very soft all the way to the center. Remove and let cool for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the outer peel and let cool.
- Place the cooked eggplant into a bowl and, using a fork, mash the flesh. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over moderate heat until warm. Gently stir in the scallions, garlic, tomato, chile pepper, garam masala and salt to taste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the eggplant mixture and cook, stirring, about 3 to 5 minutes, until hot and well combined. Off the heat, stir in the cilantro and taste for seasoning adding more salt, garam masala and/or lemon juice if needed. Serve warm.
More eggplant recipes
This segment aired on November 7, 2024.
