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Spicy Egyptian Eggplant with Fresh Herbs
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The inspiration for this recipe was btingan mekhalel, a spicy, vinegary deep-fried eggplant dish sold by street vendors in Cairo. We learned our version from Abo Ahmed Sheta, who runs the café El-Gahsh. We made a lighter, easier and oven-friendly version of the dish. Because broilers vary in heat output, check the eggplant for doneness after 10 minutes. For the same reason, it also may need longer than called for. The pieces should be tender and lightly charred, but not falling apart. Harissa is a North African red pepper paste seasoned with spices and other ingredients; our favorite brand is DEA, which usually is sold in a yellow tube. Serve warm or at room temperature.
4
Servings
Tip
Don't allow the eggplant to cool before tossing it with the harissa mixture. As they cool, the chunks absorb the flavorings. Allow the mixture to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.
40 minutes
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 1-pound globe or Italian eggplants, trimmed
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup harissa paste
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Ingredients
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1
tablespoon coriander seeds
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1
tablespoon cumin seeds
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2
1-pound globe or Italian eggplants, trimmed
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6
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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¼
cup harissa paste
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¼
cup cider vinegar
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3
tablespoons honey
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1
medium garlic clove, finely grated
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¼
cup finely chopped fresh mint
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3
tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, divided
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Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Directions
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01In a small skillet over medium, toast the coriander and cumin, shaking the pan, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool slightly, then pulse until coarsely ground; set aside.
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02Heat the oven to broil with a rack 6 inches from the element. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray. Cut each eggplant crosswise into 1½-inch-thick rounds, then cut each round into 1½-inch cubes. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with the oil to coat. Distribute in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet; reserve the bowl. Broil without stirring until tender and lightly charred on top, 10 to 12 minutes.
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03Meanwhile, in the reserved bowl, whisk together the harissa, vinegar, honey, garlic, mint, 2 tablespoons of dill and the coriander and cumin. When the eggplant is done, immediately add it to the bowl, then gently toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon dill.
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Reviews
May 23, 2022
Excellent!
Followed recipe as written and loved it. The sauce is delicious!
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"Really, REALLY, good!" was my hubby's two bits as we enjoyed this dish for dinner tonight. We made it per recipe for technique and ingredients except for substituting cilantro for the dill - cooking in the time of covid19 and fresh dill was not to be found but fresh cilantro was on hand in our kitchen - and for scaling recipe back by about 1/4 since we started with about 1 1/2 lb eggplant (v 2 lb of full recipe). It should have fed 3 people but it was just so REALLY REALLY good that we ate it all between 2 of us . Particularly delicious along with some Israeli Hummus (made per Milk Street recipe) and pita bread. The agrodolce Harissa based dressing, the texture added by the toasted lightly ground spices, the fresh herbs all with the just right broiled eggplant cubes was perfect. Easy too. Keeper. Fav.