Shared by Rottem Lieberson
Shared by Rottem Lieberson
Fried Eggplant With Mint Vinaigrette
Yield: 4-6 servingsTime: 45 min
Fried Eggplant With Mint Vinaigrette
Yield: 4-6 servingsTime: 45 minFamily Journey
Tehran, IranSha’ar Haliyah (near Haifa), IsraelJerusalem
Tel Aviv
Hanom always served fried eggplant, says cookbook author Rottem Lieberson. This is her own rendition of her grandmother’s recipe.
Read more about Rottem's family in "A Persian Grandmother and Her Secret Rosh Hashanah Recipes" and try her recipes for sweet challah, olive salad with pomegranate, and dolmeh beh (quince stuffed with beef and cardamom).
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants, sliced into ¼-inch pieces crosswise
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- ¼ cup vegetable or grapeseed oil for frying
For the vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds for garnish
Preparation
Step 1
Sprinkle coarse salt on both sides of the eggplant slices. Lay the eggplants flat on a baking rack or plate. Set aside for 20 minutes. Pat the eggplant slices dry and wipe any excess salt off.
Step 2
Heat up about ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place about four pieces of eggplants into the pot and fry on both sides until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the fried eggplants onto a paper towel lined plate. Continue frying the remaining pieces of eggplant in batches and add more oil to the pan if needed.
Step 3
Make the vinaigrette: Place the pomegranate concentrate, olive oil, and mint into a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Mix well until combined.
Step 4
Place the fried eggplant onto a serving plate in a few layers. Evenly pour the vinaigrette over the eggplants and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top. Serve warm or cold.
