Egyptian Pickled Eggplant Food

EGYPTIAN FRIED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATO SAUCE - MESA'AH

Steps:

• Wash the eggplant and slice into 1/4" thick disks.
• In a large nonstick frying pan, add enough oil to coat the pan. Set the heat to medium-high heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add enough eggplant to just cover the pan. Don't stack the eggplant on top of each other.
• Using a fork, flip the eggplant once it's a golden brown. Cook on the other side.
• Add a paper towel to a plate, and place the fried eggplant onto the towel to soak the extra oil.
• Once the eggplant is all fried, set aside.
• Chop the garlic into very fine pieces.
• In a blender, blend the tomatoes. Strain the tomatoes using a fine mesh strainer.
• Add 1 tbsp of oil to a nonstick frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook until medium brown.
• Add the vinegar, blended and strained tomatoes, and whole spicy pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for about 15 minutes to allow all of the flavors to infuse together.
• Add the salt and pepper to taste at the very end.
• Add the fried eggplant into the garlic tomato sauce mixture. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes altogether.
• Serve with fresh pita bread.

PICKLED GRILLED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Remove the stem end from the eggplants. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise, and slice into half-inch thick moon slices. In a large mixing bowl, toss the eggplant with the kosher salt and let stand for about 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse and dry the eggplant well, and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a pinch of pepper. Heat a grill pan over high heat. When the grill pan is hot, cook the eggplant slices until nicely marked on both sides.
• Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl whisk the sugar, and garlic into the vinegar, whisk in the chili paste and remaining olive oil. Add the herbs and check for seasoning with salt and pepper.
• When the eggplant is marked nicely on both sides remove it from the pan and add it immediately to the marinade (a shallow baking dish works nicely to ensure that all of the eggplant is coated in marinade). Let the eggplant cool to room temperature and serve, or refrigerate in a sealed container.

PICKLED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cover eggplant with salt and let it rest for 30 minutes, then rinse well. This will get ride of any bitterness.
• In a sauce pan, bring up to boil the vinegar and water. Add onions, peppers, garlic and eggplant. Simmer for 20 minutes and drain.
• Mix with aji molido, oregano, and basil.
• Put on jars with one laurel leaf on each jar and cover with olive oil.
• Store for at least a week before using.
• For long-term unrefrigerated storage, process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes immediately after sealing jars.

EGYPTIAN EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel eggplant if you prefer it without the skin like I do.
• Cute in cubes and mix lemon juice and water and toss together so Eggplant doesn't brown.
• Cut bell pepper into cubes.
• Saute bell pepper and eggplant in olive oil for a couple minutes.
• Add tomato sauce, chicken stock, jalapeno juice, jalapenos, chickpeas.
• Season with sea salt.
• Allow to reduce down until eggplant is soft and chickpeas are tender.
• Server Immediately
• I like mine with some pita bread, yogurt and it's a nice side dish for fish.