For some reason eggplant isn’t favored by a lot of people and I’m betting that’s because they haven’t had it prepared properly. It’s a bit tricky to work with because it’s very bitter raw and full of moisture so when you cook it, it can get really soggy and just doesn’t come out good.
Moussaka is a favorite of mine that has the eggplant cooked to perfection. I laid out exactly how to prep and cook it so you can enjoy it the way it was intended. Dive into this with some fresh bread and I promise it’ll change your views on eggplant. Give it a shot and let me know how it came out!
Ingredients
2 Eggplants
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
2 Large Steak Tomato
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
2 cup Water
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Coriander
1 tbsp Salt
3 tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
Fresh Parsley (Garnish)
Instructions
Peel the eggplant skin to make a pinstripe pattern, slice the stem off, then cut the eggplant into circles. Lay the eggplant flat and add salt to help draw out the moisture. Let them sit for 15 minutes.
Place a heavy bottom pan on high heat for 2 min then drop to medium. Lay the eggplant in the pan and fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Dice the yellow onion, bell pepper, and tomato and grind the garlic into a paste with a pinch of salt.
Place the onion, bell pepper, and garlic into the pan with an extra tbsp of olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes stirring often to not burn the garlic.
Add the diced tomato, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, and salt. Mix well then pour in the water, cover, and bring to a boil then drop to simmer for 10 minutes.
Finally add the eggplant back in, cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy