Recipe Requested Eggplant recipes, all kinds! What do YOU li

[Pisau]

Some of the eggplant dishes I frequently make. I cook these freestyle, so just google the recipes...

1. Greek Moussaka

2. Eggplant Hotpot (Chinese)

3. Sichuan Eggplant Mabo Tofu

4. Rica Rodo (Minahassan/Sulawesi, Indonesia) ... A personal favourite, because of the belachan/terasi/fermented shrimp paste, but it's an acquired taste ... not unlike durians, you've been warned

5. Terong Balado (Sumatra, Indonesia)

Hope this post kicks off some inspirations...

 

[Bert2368]

Wow. The often repeated "eggplant is a flavor sponge" = EVERY culture that has run into them has their own ideas on flavoring... I've learned a new thing or two about spices & condiments just googling and reading all these.

Keep 'em coming!

 

[daveb]

I jumped into this sharing my lack of affection for anything (except caponata) eggplant. Some of the pics have me wanting to try a few dishes. Eggplant is a great chick food

 

[dafox]

I dont cook with eggplant but I have had it in Thai red curry with duck, at a restaurant, pretty delicious! The small round green Thai variety was used.

 

[Bert2368]

About the often given, seldom explained in detail recipe instruction: "roast the eggplant"?

How do you feel about this procedure:

https://www.recipetineats.com/roasted-eggplant/
Synopsis: Make LARGE cubes, about 1.25" to 1.5" on a side, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast @ 450°F, turning once, roast until somewhat carmelized/golden brown outside and soft to the center of cubes.

Leave skin on when cutting up eggplant for roasting (helps keep the pieces from disintegrating into mush). (Unless skin pieces may be objectionable in a dish where the eggplant SHOULD be processed to a smooth consistency (as in baba ganoush))

Sound reasonable?

And how about FIRE ROASTED eggplant, probably halved or quartered long ways, skins on? Because it's 81°F in the kitchen right now. I would LOVE to do this outdoors.

 

[Luftmensch]

Moussaka

That is some inspiration! Thank you.

I'll make a mental note to give this a try!

 

[stringer]

About the often given, seldom explained in detail recipe instruction: "roast the eggplant"?

How do you feel about this procedure:

https://www.recipetineats.com/roasted-eggplant/
Synopsis: Make LARGE cubes, about 1.25" to 1.5" on a side, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast @ 450°F, turning once, roast until somewhat carmelized/golden brown outside and soft to the center of cubes.

Leave skin on when cutting up eggplant for roasting (helps keep the pieces from disintegrating into mush). (Unless skin pieces may be objectionable in a dish where the eggplant SHOULD be processed to a smooth consistency (as in baba ganoush))

Sound reasonable?

And how about FIRE ROASTED eggplant, probably halved or quartered long ways, skins on? Because it's 81°F in the kitchen right now. I would LOVE to do this outdoors.

That would definitely work. Outside is fine. Eggplant is very forgiving. Roast with the skin on and don't go too far or you will just have baba ganoush. If you leave it in big pieces then it's easy to remove the skin after.

 

[Luftmensch]

About the often given, seldom explained in detail recipe instruction: "roast the eggplant"?

How do you feel about this procedure:

https://www.recipetineats.com/roasted-eggplant/
Synopsis: Make LARGE cubes, about 1.25" to 1.5" on a side, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast @ 450°F, turning once, roast until somewhat carmelized/golden brown outside and soft to the center of cubes.

Leave skin on when cutting up eggplant for roasting (helps keep the pieces from disintegrating into mush). (Unless skin pieces may be objectionable in a dish where the eggplant SHOULD be processed to a smooth consistency (as in baba ganoush))

Sound reasonable?

And how about FIRE ROASTED eggplant, probably halved or quartered long ways, skins on? Because it's 81°F in the kitchen right now. I would LOVE to do this outdoors.

Sounds reasonable to me!

Grilling? If you are using a high heat, it is probably better to cook 1-2cm (0.5-0.7") discs or cross sections? You don't want an overcooked outside and an undercooked inside! If you are using a lower heat + time (more like an oven bake), then cutting them into halves/quarters should be fine.

 

[Rangen]

The greatest eggplant dish, which has many variations, is Sichuan Yu Xiang eggplant. I've had the Hong Kong version, served in a clay pot, many times, and it is always a treat, and always nearly the peak of the meal. You deep fry the pieces of eggplant, then infuse hot oil with aromatics -- ginger, garlic, bean paste, optionally cooking some ground pork in there, then add the eggplant pieces and briefly and gently stew with stock. A bit of black vinegar or similar to finish, some scallions on top.

I've made this for confirmed eggplant haters and they loved it. You probably need Chinese or Japanese eggplant for this, and you can leave the skin on.

 

[ITKKF]

Another vote for Sichuan Yu Xiang eggplant.

Also, Moutabal and Baba ganoush. There is quite a confusion between those two.

 

[Bert2368]

A salad, more or less? But with a dressing of sauteed chilis, garlic & spices.

I shall try to do this. Got serrano peppers and a number of other chilis, will substitute as seems good.

https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/chinese-eggplant-salad-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-15402

 

[Grayswandir]

I made some amazing Caponata (you guessed it, I'm a 3rd gen. American-Sicilian) a few years back. I bought a little eggplant seedling from my local garden center (Poor Boys or something like that). The photo on the stake had a pic of what the eggplant would look like when fully grown. It was a beautiful white eggplant, with some light purple veining, globe-shaped. The seeds were few, tiny, and tender. They grew to about the size of a softball, or a little bigger, and were the best eggplants I've ever eaten. I haven't seen them since, not sure where this eggplant originated, but it was awesome.

For the caponata; celery, a little onion, capers, green olives, golden raisins, pignoli nuts (toasted), tomato paste (or fresh tomato concasse if you like) a little sugar, white wine. vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. If you like garlic you can add a little bit if you like. Garnish with whatever green herb you prefer.

I serve it on bruschetta and like a little sprinkling of finely grated Parmesan on top, but you can use/serve it any way you like.