Palestinian Style Moussaka | Vegetarian Braised Eggplant in Tomato Sauce
Moussaka is a dish enjoyed all throughout the eastern Mediterranean. It's taken so many different forms and styles as it moved from region to region but always made with eggplant. In the Levant, we have our version which also has it's own regional touch. Today I'm sharing the Palestinian version, or at least the version that was made in my home. It's completely vegetarian, served usually at room temp or cold, and another very simple dish to put together. If you don't like eggplant, this one is a great way to reintroduce it and hope you love it!
Palestinian Style Moussaka:
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Ingredients
2-3 Eggplants
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Onion
5 Garlic Cloves
2-3 medium Steak Tomato
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
2 cup Water
1 tbsp Cumin
1 tbsp Coriander
Salt to taste
Plenty of Olive Oil
Fresh Parsley (Garnish)
Aleppo Pepper (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 15-20 minutes.
Place a large skillet on high heat for 2 min then drop to medium. Add olive oil and lay the eggplant in batches and pan 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 and bell pepper in the pan with a touch more olive oil. Saute for about 5 minutes on medium low heat or until they have softened. Add the garlic and saute for another couple minutes until the garlic is very fragrant.
Add the diced tomato, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, and salt. Mix well then pour in the water, cover, and bring to a simmer then cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Finally add the eggplant back in, cover and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and Aleppo pepper and enjoy.