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Cuisine
This is a light vegetarian recipe, ideal for the summer, and is surprisingly easy to do, even for those who are wary of aubergines (eggplant if you are American!). Make sure you pick the freshest aubergine by choosing one that has a glossy skin and is firm and well weighted for it's size. Check the cap is green and not brown and shrivelled.
Ingredients
400 grams eggplant
400 grams tomatoes
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 medium sized onion, sliced finely
1 red chilli, sliced finely
2 cloves garlic, sliced finely
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil
fresh coriander and fresh mint, extra
yoghurt, to garnish
Tunisian Style Aubergine Salad
Step by Step
Prepare the tomatoes, by cutting a cross in their base and placing them into a bowl. Pour over boiling water and let them sit for about a minute or until you see the skin begin lifting. Take them out and peel off the tomato skin. Slice in half, then toss in a little olive oil before placing them, cut side up on a lined baking tray. Prepare the aubergines by cutting off the cap, then cut, lengthways into 1cm (half inch) slices. Then cut these slices again to form squares (you don't need to be exact). Toss this in some oil and spread out on another lined baking tray. Place both the tomatoes and aubergines into a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F, until the aubergines are golden brown and the tomatoes have softened (approximately 30 minutes). Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly before roughly dicing the tomatoes, making sure you keep all the tomato juices and pulp.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add
the onions, garlic and chilli and fry until they slowly gain a little colour (don’t let
them burn). After a couple of minutes add the ground cumin and allspice, stirring well. When you can smell the spices rising from the pan add the tomatoes and aubergine. Mix well before adding the fresh coriander and mint, plus a little salt and pepper to taste. Set this aside to cool before serving.
To serve
This can be served to accompany a main dish or can make an excellent starter
by pressing the salad mix into moulds before serving with a topping of fresh
yoghurt and a garnish of fresh mint and coriander leaves. You could also serve
this with flat Tunisian bread.
You can also leave this overnight to allow the flavours to develop, by covering and storing in the fridge. Just remember to bring it back to room temperature before you serve it.
Tunisian Cooking - See Also
