 | |
| Type | Salad |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Eggplants |
Many cuisines featureeggplant salads and appetizers.
 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Eggplant salads and appetizers" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(August 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Baba ghanoush (Arabic:بابا غنوجbābā ghanūj) is a popularLevantine dish of eggplant (aubergine) mashed and mixed with various seasonings. Frequently the eggplant is baked or broiled over an open flame before peeling, so that the pulp is soft and has a smoky taste.[1] Baba ghanoush is usually eaten as a dip withpita bread, and is sometimes added to other dishes. It is usually of an earthy light brown color. InEthiopia, this dish is commonly known asblagadoush.
A very similar dish is mutabbal (Arabic:متبل,lit. 'spiced'); mutabbal is sometimes referred to as baba ghanouj.[2] "Mutabbal" however, refers to a dish made with mashed, grilled vegetables and tahini,[3][4] whereas baba ghanouj does not necessarily have tahini.[3][4] Levantine mutabbal is made with many vegetables besides augerbines.[5] In Palestine and Jordan, pumpkinmutabbal is a popular traditional dish.[6][7][8]
InRomania, a similar dish is known assalată de vinete ('eggplant salad'). Like the Greek dish of Melitzanosalata, it lacks tahini and is made from finely chopped roasted eggplant, finely chopped onions,sunflower oil (explicitly not olive oil[9][10] because it would make the dish bitter), salt and, optionally,mayonnaise.[11]
inGreece, a similar dish is known asΜελιτζανοσαλάτα (melitzanosalata; literally translating to eggplant salad). However, the dish does not contain tahini, instead just containing the eggplant itself (hence the name), some olive oil and lemon juice, and spices like garlic and onion, with occasional spices like garlic and pepper flakes.[12][13] The dish is extremely popular during the 40-dayLenten fast as it provides a non-animal-based alternative to dips like tzatziki during the fast. This is due to Greece being a very religiousOrthodox Christian country.
InArmenia, the dish is known asmutabal. The essential ingredients in Armenian mutabal are eggplant, tahini, garlic, lemon, and onion; most Armenians also addcumin.
Georgianbadrijnis khizilala ("aubergine caviar") is made of fried and chopped eggplants. Further typical ingredients are onions, garlic,pomegranate, hot red pepper, vegetable oil and fresh greencilantro.[14]
InIsrael, the traditional version calledsalat ḥatzilim is made with mashed grilled aubergines, tahini, olive oil, lemon, garlic and parsley. A variation made withmayonnaise instead of tahini, calledsalat ḥatzilim b'mayonnaise, is also widely available.[15]
InMorocco, a fried eggplant dish made with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, cumin, paprika and parsley is calledzaalouk.[16]
Eggplant relish is a Middle Eastern-north African dish.[17] It is made of eggplant, salt, olive oil, lemon, andparsley.
InEgypt,papa ghannug is made of grilled and then peeled eggplant with tahini, water, salt, pepper, lemon, and parsley.Papa ghannug is eaten with bread.
InIranian cuisine, eggplant is prepared into an appetizer known askashk bademjan andmirza ghasemi. It is made with whey sauce (kashk).[18]
InGreece andCyprus,melitzanosalata (μελιτζανοσαλάτα; "eggplant salad") is made witholive oil andlemon juice.[19][20] Other ingredients typically include garlic, onion, and parsley. Sometimes spices like cumin and red pepper flakes are added. Garnishes may include feta cheese or olives.[21][22]
InTurkish cuisine,İmam bayıldı is an eggplant stew, commonly prepared with olive oil, onions and tomatoes. The dish is known in Greece as Ιμάμ μπαϊλντί (Imam bayildi) or justimam.
Malidzano, a traditionalMacedonian spread, is made from puréedeggplants,sirenje cheese,walnuts andspices. It is usually served asappetizer along withbread. In other countries of Western Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia) it is prepared from green peppers and eggplant.
Salată de vinete (Eggplant salad) or simplyvinete is aRomanian,Moldovan andHungarian mashed eggplant salad made of grilled, peeled and finely chopped eggplants,sunflower oil and choppedonions. The eggplants are grilled on an open flame until they are covered with black ash crust. The crust is cleaned off and the remaining cooked eggplant is mashed with a blunt, thick wooden cleaver (knife) on a wooden platter (popular belief has it that using a metal knife will turn the eggplant flesh black, before stainless steel blades, but also because cutting through the seeds is to be avoided). The eggplant mash is mixed in a bowl, stirring continuously, with sunflower oil, chopped onions andsalt. The mix is beaten vigorously. Crushed garlic and ground pepper may be added too. Instead of oil,mayonnaise can be used, although not traditionally. A zest of lemon is added at the end and the platter is sometimes garnished with tomato slices.
A typicalzakuska inRussia andUkraine (especiallyOdesa) is known asbaklažannaja ikra (Russian:баклажанная икра) orbaklažanna ikra (Ukrainian:баклажанна ікра), literally meaning "aubergine caviar". Some versions add choppedtomatoes to the basic recipe.[23] Another eggplant salad popular in Russia is calledhe iz baklažanov (Russian:хе из баклажанов), and it is probably influenced byKorean cuisine. Eggplanthe is based onjulienned (instead of mashed) cooked aubergines and other vegetables, prepared with concentrated vinegar. After adding the vinegar, it is set aside for several hours to cure before eating.
InTurkey, a similarmeze is calledpatlıcan salatası ("eggplant salad").[24] It is made with grilled mashed eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic; sometimes, tahini, chopped tomato and green pepper as well. More frequently, eggplant is mixed with yoghurt, olive oil and garlic. The version with cut eggplants can be found in southern Turkey, especially inAntakya. In other varieties, calledşakşuka orköpoğlu, roasted and chopped eggplants and peppers are served with garlic yogurt or tomato sauce. The latter is also a typical eggplant appetizer inBulgaria, where it is calledkyopolou.Hünkarbeğendi is another Turkish dish, which is amutton or lamb (nowadays alsoveal) stew where the meat is served hot on a bed of eggplantpurée. The purée also containskaşar cheese, milk and flour.[25]
InIndian andPakistani cuisine, an eggplant dish, by the name ofbaingan bartha, is popular especially in the regions ofPunjab,[26]Maharashtra,Bihar,Orissa andWest Bengal. It is also eaten across Pakistan, as well as inBangladesh. The dish has many names, depending on the local language (Hindi:baingan ka bharta,Bengali:বেগুন ভর্তাbegun bhôrta,Marathi:wangyacha bharit).
In theSouth Indian state ofTamil Nadu, theTamils preparekathrikai thayir kothsu, in which the eggplant is cooked, mashed and sautéed withmustard, redchili peppers, and sesame oil, after which yogurt is added to the mixture and dressed withcilantro coriander leaves.[27] It is often eaten with an Indian flatbread (specificallyroti orparatha), and is also served withrice, and/orraita (a yoghurt salad).
Kashmiris prepare a spicy and tangy dish of eggplants calledchoek wangun withtamarind constituting an important part of the gravy.[28]
Eggplant mud (茄泥) is aChinese recipe of steamed and mashed eggplant. It is served with dressings such as pounded garlic with soy sauce. InSichuan cuisine many people also like to add hot peppers and cilantro. It is a common lunch dish and may be eaten with rice or rolls.
Mashed eggplant is also part ofHmong cuisine and it contains hot peppers and cilantro.
In Korea, steamed or poached strips of eggplant seasoned with garlic, toasted sesame oil and chili is a common side dish called 가지나물 (gaji namul, literally “eggplant salad.”)
Caviar d'aubergine is prepared in southernFrance. Baked, peeled aubergine is mixed with garlic, tomato, parsley, lemon juice, and finally olive oil. It is served as an appetizer with French bread, possibly along with olivetapenade.
Caponata is aSicilian eggplant relish made from chopped fried vegetables (mostly eggplants and peppers), seasoned with celery, olives and capers, in a sweet sour sauce. Today, caponata is typically used as a side dish or appetizer, but, since the 18th century, it has sometimes been used as a main course.
Berenjena a la vinagreta is a typical appetizer inHispanosphere made from boiled eggplants in a vinaigrette. The eggplant is usually salted to remove moisture then boiled until soft and then placed into a vinaigrette with garlic and various herbs or spices. InArgentina the eggplants will rest in the vinaigrette, often containing plenty of oil, for several days and then is eaten as part of a picada before a meal. InSpain, it can be found along otherpinchos attapas bars. InCatalonia region, eggplant is roasted and seasoned with olive oil in the dishescalivada.
| Beverages |
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breads | ||||||
| Starters and salads | ||||||
| Cheeses | ||||||
| Soups | ||||||
| Dishes | ||||||
| Desserts | ||||||
| Common ingredients |
| |||||
| Related cuisines | ||||||
| Dishes by origin |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By type and origin |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| By type |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
