Best Spicy Pan Fried Eggplant With Tomatoes And Yogurt Recipes

SPICED EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES WITH RUNNY EGGS

Steps:

• Put eggplant in a colander in the sink and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Let drain while preparing the nuts.
• In a small bowl, combine nuts, 1/4 teaspoon baharat and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nut mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and toasted, 2 minutes. Pour nuts back into the small bowl and stir in lemon zest. Set aside for serving.
• Add 3 tablespoons oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high until oil thins out, about 20 seconds. Add enough of the eggplant to fit in one layer without overlapping. Cook eggplant until browned, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggplant to a plate. Repeat with more oil and eggplant, taking care not to crowd the pan.
• When all the eggplant is browned, push the last batch still in the pan to one side. Drizzle the empty part of the pan with a tiny bit of oil and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the rest of the browned eggplant back to the pan and stir well to incorporate garlic.
• Add tomatoes and remaining baharat, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a big pinch of pepper. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes and eggplant become stewy, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in herbs. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
• Make small hollows into the stewed eggplant with the back of a spoon. Gently crack an egg into each hollow. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid or piece of foil and cook on medium-low until the eggs are just set, but still soft, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove the lid, and garnish with the spiced nuts, more herbs and a squeeze of lemon. Serve with yogurt, hot sauce and more lemon wedges on the side.

PAN-FRIED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Shake flour, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag.
• Pour oil into a large iron skillet over medium heat. Coat a handful eggplant slices with the flour mixture. Add to the hot oil; cook until crisp and light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is browned, 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove slices carefully and move to a plate or cooling rack; cover with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices.

FRIED EGGPLANT RECIPE WITH GREEN PEPPERS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Spread eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to sweat out any bitterness. Pat dry when ready.
• Heat the oil on medium-high heat (be sure the oil is shimmering but not smoking). Start by frying green peppers, skin side down, until tender and skin turns brown. (Do this carefully and use a splatter screen as recommended.) Remove from heat and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with a little salt and a generous sprinkle of sumac.
• In the same frying pan, now fry the eggplant. Do this very carefully (use tongs to keep your distance and a splatter screen to cover the pan or skillet). Oil should still be hot or else eggplant will absorb way too much of it. When edges of one side turn golden brown, flip over. When eggplant turns golden brown on both sides, remove from heat and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle generously with sumac.
• If needed, add a little bit of oil to your frying pan. Now, fry the tomatoes for two minutes then add the garlic. Cook another 4 to 5 minutes, tossing gently. Turn the heat down and add 2 tbsp of vinegar, salt, and a generous pinch of sumac. When the tomatoes are tender, releasing juices and turning bright orange in color, turn the heat off.
• Assemble the fried eggplant dish. Grab a large serving platter, layer a bit of the eggplant at the bottom, then add green peppers, then the saucy tomatoes on top. Repeat as needed till you have all the veggies on your platter. Garnish with fresh mint and walnut hearts.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with a side of pita or Lebanese rice.

PANFRIED SPICY POTATOES WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut them the long way into wedges, 6 to 10 per potato. Peel the eggplant (salt it if necessary; see page 456) and cut it into similar-sized wedges.
• Put the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a lid over medium heat. Wait a couple of minutes, then add the chiles, garlic, mustard, and cumin; cook, stirring, until the garlic colors and the mustard seeds pop, a couple of minutes. Add the potatoes and eggplant, along with 1/4 cup water and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes, checking once or twice and adding a little water if necessary, until the vegetables begin to soften. Remove the cover and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until both potatoes and eggplant brown nicely and become completely tender, another 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the onion and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens and begins to brown, another 5 minutes or so. Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish and serve hot or at room temperature.
• You can make these with or without the eggplant: In step 3, add 2 cups seeded and chopped tomatoes about 2 minutes after adding the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break up, about 5 minutes. Serve as directed.

SPICY STIR-FRIED JAPANESE EGGPLANT AND CUCUMBER

Steps:

• Trim off the calyx end of the eggplants. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice thin (about 1/4 inch). Lightly salt, and toss in a colander. Allow to sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Squeeze out excess water, then dry between sheets of paper towel.
• Meanwhile, trim off the ends of the cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice on the diagonal into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt and sesame oil in a small bowl. Place all of the ingredients near your wok or frying pan.
• Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two from the surface of the pan. Add the peanut or canola oil to the sides of the pan and tilt the pan to distribute. Add the eggplant. Stir-fry for three to four minutes until cooked through. Add the ginger and red pepper flakes, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the cucumbers and scallions or chives. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok, and stir-fry one minute until the cucumber just begins to wilt. Remove from the heat and serve.