Eggplant Aubergine With Tahini Yogurt Dressing Food

GRIDDLED AUBERGINES WITH SESAME DRESSING

Steps:

• Brush each aubergine slice with some oil, then season. Heat a griddle pan or barbecue. When hot, griddle the aubergine slices for 2-3 mins on each side until golden brown and tender.
• Mix the yogurt with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and herbs, then season. Top the aubergines with the dressing and scatter over extra herb leaves.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH YOGHURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside for the flavours to develop. The longer you leave it, the better it will taste.
• Use a potato peeler to peel "strips" off the eggplant vertically as per the photo below. If your potato peeler is not sharp enough or if the eggplant is on the soft side, you might need to do this with a small sharp knife.
• Cut the eggplant into 1.5cm / 2/3" thick rounds.
• Brush one side of each eggplant with olive oil. The more you use, the yummier it will be!
• Sprinkle the oiled side of the eggplant with salt and pepper.
• Heat a griddle pan (or BBQ) on medium high heat. (Note 5)
• Place the oiled side of each eggplant onto the pan and grill for 2 to 3 minutes until it gets deep char lines on it. While the first side is cooking, brush the other side of each eggplant with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Turn the eggplant and cook the other side until the eggplant is cooked through but still holding it's shape. The easy way to tell is to prod the centre - if you feel resistance, it needs to cook more.
• Remove the eggplant onto a serving plate and let it cool for a few minutes. Then spoon a dollop of the yoghurt sauce on each, and scatter with coriander/cilantro, mint, pomegranate seeds and chili. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve with cheeks or wedges of lemon, if desired.

EGGPLANT WITH BUTTERMILK SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°F. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, cutting straight through the green stalk (the stalk is for the look; don't eat it). Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45-degree angle to get a diamond-shaped pattern.
• Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with olive oil-keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh. Sprinkle with the lemon thyme leaves and some salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down completely.
• While the eggplants are in the oven, cut the pomegranate into two horizontally. Hold one half over a bowl, with the cut side against your palm, and use the back of a wooden spoon or a rolling pin to gently knock on the pomegranate skin. Continue beating with increasing power until the seeds start coming out naturally and falling through your fingers into the bowl. Once all are there, sift through the seeds to remove any bits of white skin or membrane.
• To make the sauce. Whisk together all of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, then keep cold until needed.
• To serve, spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over the eggplant halves without covering the stalks. Sprinkle za'atar and plenty of pomegranate seeds on top and garnish with lemon thyme. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) WITH TAHINI YOGURT DRESSING

Steps:

• Peel eggplant.
• Slice eggplant into circles.
• Salt eggplant to help eggplant not absorb so much oil.
• Let frying oil get hot and fry until eggplant gets golden brown.
• Let eggplant drain.
• In a mortar and pestle or mini food processor, add salt, garlic and jalepeno pepper and chop until a fine paste.
• Then add to lemon juice.
• Then add tahini.
• Stir very well until smooth which will take several minutes.
• Then add yogurt and water and stir until all is blended.
• Arrange eggplant on a plate and drizzle dressing over the eggplant.
• Enjoy.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)-TAHINI DIP

Steps:

• Roast eggplant under the broiler, turning frequently, until the skin is charred and blistered.
• Peel away the skin, chop flesh roughly and drain in a colander for 30 minutes, and then press or blot to leak out as much liquid from the flesh as you can.
• Put eggplant flesh into blender, add tahini, garlic, almonds, lemon juice, cumin powder, salt and pepper.
• Transfer to serving bowl, fold in mint leaves and drizzle with olive oil.
• Goes well with pita crackers.

EGGPLANT WITH YOGURT AND DILL

Steps:

• Toss 1 pound chopped eggplant, 3 unpeeled shallots and 3 unpeeled garlic cloves with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Add some walnuts; bake for 8 more minutes. Cool slightly, then squeeze the shallots and garlic from their skins and chop; toss with the eggplant, nuts, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, fresh dill and salt and pepper.