Are you a fan of Turkish recipes? And what’s more, you are a fan and enthusiast of eggplant (or aubergine, you name it as you wish!)? If your answers are ‘yes’ for both questions, then you are at the very right place! You had better prepare your pens and papers and start making notes! Or else, none of these you won’t need as we are going to give you a very clear instruction to cook the perfect roasted eggplant salad!
If you are ready, scroll down the page…
Eggplant enriched Turkish foods
Beloved Flavor of Turkish Recipes: Roasted Eggplant Salad
Roasted eggplant salad made Turkish style is one of favorite ways to use eggplant. Turkish people traditionally eat this delicious flavor as a cold starter, or “meze.” However, it also works as an appetizer dip. Eggplant salad has only three main ingredients, but it’s quite time-consuming to prepare. Roasting the eggplants takes the most time, but it’s really worth for every effort and step. As we said, it is one of the most delicious appetizers of Turkish cuisine.
How to cook roasted eggplant salad?
Welcome to Turkish Kitchen: Ingredients of Roasted Eggplant Salad
- 3 or 4 large globe eggplants
- 4 to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 or 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- Also Optional: 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or strained yogurt (Greek yogurt)
How to Cook Roasted Eggplant Salad? | Step by Step
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Firstly, roast your eggplants on the grill, and remove the pulp. Once you’ve extracted the flesh and discarded the skin and seeds, use it right away. If not, let the pulp sit in a bowl with some water and lemon juice in it. This prevents the eggplant from darkening.
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Then, put your eggplant into a fine wire strainer, and squeeze out any excess liquid. Transfer the pulp to a mixing bowl.
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Afterward, add the olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional crushed garlic.
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With a fork, whip the mixture until it becomes homogenous, light, and fluffy with no large chunks or strings of eggplant. This can take awhile. You may have to take several breaks in between to rest your arm.
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Finally, once the puree is ready, you can gently stir in your optional mayonnaise or yogurt. Chill before serving.
Turkish Recipes | Tips
- To make things easier, you can substitute canned eggplant, although the taste is never quite as fresh. You can find roasted eggplant near the pickles or canned vegetable section of your supermarket or in Middle Eastern and Turkish grocers.
- The traditional way to eat eggplant salad is straight up as an appetizer or salad. It’s also delicious spread on crunchy crackers, melba toast, or toasted bread.
- If you love anything with eggplant, a spoonful of this light, the fluffy salad will carry you away. But you have to get the consistency right, or you may be disappointed. A good blend is light in color and texture, with just the right amount of olive oil. Too much oil can make it heavy and overpower the wonderful, smoky flavor of the eggplant. You’ll also need a strong wrist to whip it with a fork to the perfect consistency. Don’t use a blender or your salad will be watery.
Turkish Recipes- Eggplant salad is a simple and delicious way to cook eggplant (Image Credit: Almost Turkish Recipes)