Tender Fragrance in Eggplant and Yoghurt: A recipe

I promised you a couple of recipes from Nigel Slater’s book Tender, Vol. 1. Previously I made Stuffed Capsicums, which proved to be a great winner, especially with my wonderful nutritionist and foodie friend Kathryn Elliott. There is an equally wonderful dish that I have been making along with the stuffed capsicums – Fragrant Eggplant, served with Yoghurt and Sweet Paprika.

There are a couple of eggplant pairings that are so wonderful – eggplant and yoghurt is one, the other, quite different, is eggplant and miso. Nigel’s recipe is one of utmost simplicity, and yet it can form a delicious dinner for one with a small salad, or can be part of a much larger meal. Whatever, however, Nigel has done it again!

This dish can also be cooked with stuffed capsicums, as above, or roast pumpkin, or a dish of potatoes. A great way to use up spare space in your oven or on your baking tray.

Fragrant Eggplant and Yoghurt (A Fragrant Supper)

Source : inspired by Nigel Slater’s book Tender Vol. 1
Cuisine: Modern British, Italian in style
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins
Serves: 1 – 2 people, depending how you use it

ingredients
a large firm eggplant
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
3 – 4 Tblspns thick yoghurt
sweet paprika (or hot paprika if you dare, or even smoked paprika)
mint leaves, fresh or dried. If fresh, chop finely
sea salt

method
Heat the oven to 200C.

Cut the eggplant lengthwise, and cut the flesh in a lattice pattern, scoring the flesh but not piercing the outer skin. This allows flavours to penetrate the flesh.

Drizzle olive oil over the eggplant, letting it seep into the lattice cuts. Sprinkle with sea salt, and then turn the eggplants over so they are cut side down on a baking tray or baking dish. Put the garlic cloves, unpeeled and whole, alongside the eggplant.

Bake at 200C for around 45 minutes until the eggplant is wonderfully soft and the flesh is translucent. Keep an eye on it while it cooks, because the cooking time will depend on the size of the eggplant.

When the eggplant is totally soft and juicy, lift it onto a serving plate, squeeze the garlic over (it will squeeze out of its skin), and smooth it over the eggplant in a rustic sort of way.

Spoon over the yoghurt, dust lightly with paprika and scatter mint leaves on top.

As you eat, mash the yoghurt with the eggplant. Yum. Enjoy.

The Eggplant Series

• Baingan Kabharta - Eggplant Curry
• Eggplant with Sesame and Soy
• Eggplant with Mirin and Miso Paste
• Narasihman’s Sweet Potato, Eggplant and Spinach Madras Curry
• Tender Eggplant

Ways with Yoghurt:

• How to make thick thick yoghurt/yoghurt cheese.
• I finally made a Blueberry Shrikhand. It is hard to beat.
• Use thick thick yoghurt with all sorts of fruits and other toppings.
• A huge dollop of thick thick yoghurt on top of winter soups, like this spicy red lentil soup.
• Yoghurt Curry
• Thick Yoghurt Tahina Dip with Herbs
• Yoghurt and Rosepetals
• Cacik: Turkish cucumber and Yoghurt Mezze
• Haydari
• Tender Eggplant with yoghurt
• Yoghurt, Feta and Mustard Dip

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More Cooking, Food and Recipes:

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