Smoked Spiced Eggplant Food

SMOKED SPICED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel and dice the onion; set aside in a mixing bowl. Using tongs, roast the eggplant directly on the burner of a gas stove over medium heat, turning often, until skin is completely blackened and the flesh is soft, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, prick a few holes in the eggplant (to vent steam) and roast it on a rimmed baking sheet in a 500 F oven for about 20 minutes.
• When eggplant is charred all over, set it aside until it is cool enough to handle. Then pull off skin with your fingers or a knife (discard the skin); finely chop the eggplant with a knife or pass it through a ricer. Set aside. Finely chop green chilies, including their seeds, and set aside.
• Add oil to a skillet or kadai over medium-high heat, followed by the onion. Cook until edges are brown, but there is still a bit of texture, about 15 minutes. Add ginger and stir; if the onion mixture is sticking to the pan, add a little water to deglaze it. Add garlic and stir; then add coriander, cumin, and cayenne, deglazing as needed with more water to prevent the spices from burning.
• Add eggplant to the pan and continue cooking, stirring well to combine thoroughly. Add salt to taste, ensuring that all the flavors are balanced. Add tomatoes and stir to combine; then add the desired amount of green chili, follow by cilantro. Season again with salt. Stir in garam masala, a squeeze of lemon juice, stir and serve.

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pierce each eggplant with the tip of a knife in about 10 spots. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until very soft and cracking in a few spots, about 50 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Cut each eggplant open lengthwise and scrape out the flesh with a large spoon; discard the skin. Place the flesh in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. Add the parsley, mint, oregano, lemon juice, chiles, salt and olive oil. Puree for 20 seconds to combine. Allow to cool slightly before serving with crackers.

SMOKED SPICED EGGPLANT PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Char over a gas flame, grill, or broil the eggplants until the skins are charred and blistered. Transfer to baking pan and roast for 30 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and cool. Toast cumin and coriander seeds until aromatic and grind in a spice grinder (or toast spices already ground).
• Heat oil in a small skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and saute until tender. Add garlic and ginger and saute a few seconds to release the aroma. Add turmeric, ground toasted cumin and coriander and salt and saute another minute just to release the aroma.
• Cut stem ends of eggplants and peel skin. Set eggplant in food processor and puree until coarse. Add onion and spice mixture and puree. Transfer to serving bowl and stir in lime and yogurt and jalapeno. Right before serving dust eggplant puree with chopped cilantro and mint. Serve with toasted pita triangles or fresh vegetables or crackers.

SMOKY TOMATO AND EGGPLANT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Partially peel the outside of the eggplant, leaving 1 1/2- to 2-inch strips of skin intact, creating alternating stripes of flesh and skin. Cut the eggplant into 2-inch cubes and add it to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the eggplant with 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Transfer the eggplant to the oven and roast for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. After 40 minutes the eggplant should be very tender and browned.
• In the meantime, heat a high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot has softened, about 5 minutes. Next, add the red pepper and garlic and stir to combine. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, cayenne and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to coat the vegetables in the spices. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Add the cooked eggplant to the tomato mixture and stir to combine, slightly mashing the eggplant into the sauce. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and serve with grilled sourdough.