This summer I went to an amazing little Afghan restaurant called Mazari Kabab in Virginia Beach. I love trying new cuisines and this place had rave reviews on Yelp so I couldn't wait to get in there. Everything was so full of flavor! One of the sides they offer is eggplant. I am an eggplant lover so of course I had to try it! The problem, I have not been able to stop thinking about it since! It was beyond good. I started doing a little research so that I could make it at home and this is what I came up with. Be forewarned, it's spicy y'all.
Ingredients:
~1 Large Eggplant
~2 Off the vine tomatoes (diced small)-fresh makes a difference, skip the can
~2 cloves of garlic (minced)
~1/2 onion quartered and sliced thin
~1 tbsp Turmeric
~1-2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
~Oil for cooking
~Salt
~Fresh Cilantro for garnish
Cooking Directions:
~Cut Eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds. Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 400º about 7 minutes per side.
~Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté onions and garlic. After they begin to soften add tomatoes, turmeric and cayenne pepper and salt. Add roasted eggplant and stir to combine. Cover and let simmer on low for 15-20 minutes stirring a few times. If too dry add some water or chicken stock. You want the eggplant to be soft but not mushy.
~Sprinkle with chopped cilantro
A few things...
I LIKE a lot of seasoning so really I just sprinkle and sprinkle until I get the taste I want.
I serve the eggplant with rice (cauliflower rice if on Whole 30) and chickpeas. I just use a can of chickpeas, rinse, and season with a little turmeric, cayenne, and salt. Toss in a little olive oil.
I know several people who don't like cilantro (my husband being one). When researching how to make this dish, I noticed a lot of people used mint instead of cilantro. Mint is not my thing! So whatever YOUR thing is, do that!
Another side note...a lot of people like to serve this with a yogurt sauce. I am sure it is probably delicious but I am always trying to make Whole30 approved recipes and so I skip the yogurt and I don't miss it at all. I did make a sauce with 1/2 can full fat coconut milk, 1/2 avocado, and zest and juice from a 1/2 a lime, and a few cilantro leaves. Throw it all in a blender and YUM! Pin It Now!
