Wonderfully meaty, brinjals are at the peak of their season. Uses them to cook up delectable dishes.
TO SALT OR NOT TO SALT
Larger, older brinjals have brown seeds that contain a bitter liquid. Some people say that sprinkling salt on brinjal slices draws out this liquid, others say it makes no difference.
I tried salting some and leaving others unsalted. When cooked, I found no difference in the taste.
I did find that salted brinjals absorbed a lot more oil when fried. That is because salting draws out the liquid in the flesh, making it more porous.
If your brinjals are young and fresh, they should not be bitter. The older they are, the more likely they are to need salting.
If you decide to salt your brinjals, dice or slice them, place in a non-corrosive colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave to stand for at least an hour and then press the brinjals to release as much of the bitter liquid as possible.
Rinse under running water and then dry well with paper towel. Use as directed.
To prevent brinjals from absorbing too much oil when fried, brush the slices with olive oil before cooking on a hot griddle pan, rather than pouring oil into the pan.
BRINJAL AND SWEET POTATO STACK
Serves 4
3-4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
30ml olive oil
15ml Moroccan spice rub
salt and pepper
125g feta cheese
45ml chopped mint
1-2 brinjals, cut into thin slices. (You need 12 slices)
flour for dusting
olive oil for frying
Sauce
125ml Greek yoghurt
15ml honey
15ml pomegranate molasses
Put the sweet potatoes into a roasting pan and drizzle over the olive oil. Sprinkle with spice rub and seasoning and roast at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until soft.
Remove from oven and stir in the feta and mint.
While the potatoes are roasting, dust the brinjal slices with flour and fry in olive oil until light golden on both sides. Drain on a paper towel.
Prepare the sauce.
SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
TO ASSEMBLE: On a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, place a brinjal slice, top with a spoonful of the sweet potato mixture, then another brinjal slice, more sweet potato and end with a slice of brinjal.
Bake in the oven at 200°C for 5 minutes.
Serve topped with a dollop of sauce.
BRINJAL, WALNUT AND GOAT’S CHEESE SALAD
Serves 4
40-50ml olive oil
1-2 brinjals, peeled and cubed
1-2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
50g walnuts, lightly toasted
60ml pomegranate rubies
100g goat’s cheese, crumbled
30ml toasted sesame seeds
45ml coriander leaves
45ml parsley leaves
Dressing
60ml olive oil
1 clove of garlic, crushed
30ml lemon juice
salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the brinjals over a medium heat until light golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.
Combine the brinjals with the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.
Spoon on to a serving plate and drizzle over the dressing just before serving.
MOUSSAKA
Serves 4
1-2 brinjals, sliced
30-40ml olive oil
Mince
30ml olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g lamb mince
7.5ml cumin
5ml cinnamon
400g can of chopped tomatoes
30ml tomato paste
125ml chicken stock
10ml sugar
salt and pepper
30ml chopped fresh basil
Sauce
50g butter
50ml flour
500ml milk
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
60ml grated Parmesan cheese
Brush brinjals with oil and fry until soft. Drain on a paper towel. Set aside until required.
Heat olive oil and fry the onion and garlic. Add the mince, cumin and cinnamon and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and stock.
Simmer for 30 minutes until liquid has reduced and meat is cooked. Season with sugar, salt and pepper and stir in the chopped herbs.
PREPARE SAUCE: Melt butter, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add milk, stirring continuously, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and season well.
Stir in the beaten egg.
In an ovenproof baking dish, place a layer of brinjals and top with a layer of mince. Repeat, ending with a layer of brinjals.
Spoon the sauce over the brinjals and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove and stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
BRINJAL SANDWICHES
Serves 4
1-2 brinjals, cut into 2mm-thick slices (You need 16 slices)
8 slices of provolone cheese cut to the same size as the brinjal slices
mint leaves
8 slices of salami, cut to the same size as the brinjal slices
125ml seasoned flour
2 eggs, beaten
500ml fresh white breadcrumbs
30-40ml olive oil
40-50g butter
Tahini sauce
60ml Greek yoghurt
15ml tahini sauce
15ml honey
15ml lemon juice
15ml chopped mint
Lay half the brinjal slices on a tray. Top with a slice of cheese. Add a mint leaf and then a slice of salami. Top with remaining brinjal slices to form a sandwich. Dip them in flour, then egg and breadcrumbs.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan and fry the brinjal sandwiches until golden brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towel and serve immediately with the sauce.
Tahini sauce: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
ASIAN-STYLE BRINJALS
Serves 4
45ml peanut oil
1 onion, sliced into thin wedges
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 brinjal, cut into 2cm cubes
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
200g mixed mushrooms, sliced
coriander for serving
Sauce
30ml sherry
30ml oyster sauce
15ml hoisin sauce
15ml soy sauce
30ml tomato sauce
15ml sesame oil
Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for a minute.
Add the brinjals and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the peppers and mushrooms and stir fry until soft.
Pour over the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle with coriander and serve with noodles.
SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients and mix well. - The Star