International Eggplant
FLAVORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BRIGHTEN UP THESE VEGETARIAN DISHES.
We love the versatility of eggplant, which takes on wildly different flavors — from mild and sweet to savory and smoky — depending on whether you fry, roast, steam, grill, or saute it. We love it tossed with tamarind or mango chutney, then roasted until charred; cashews add crunch and scallions balance the eggplant’s richness with allium bite. Treated like “katsu,” a fried Japanese classic usually made with pork or chicken, eggplant slices are panko-crusted to create vegetarian cutlets served with an umami-rich sauce of soy, Worcestershire, and ketchup. And brushed with tahini spiked with garlic, lemon, pomegranate molasses, and soy sauce, eggplant browns deeply under the broiler; a cucumber-yogurt sauce brightens the dish.
Chutney-Roasted Eggplant With Scallions
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Tamarind or mango chutney mixed with cumin seeds and honey give charred, silky textured roasted eggplant an irresistible sweet-savory
flavor. Scallion greens and chopped cashews are mixed in just before serving to give the dish color, freshness, and texture. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing — the acidity is a nice flavor balance.
Use a broiler-safe baking sheet and, if you like, line it with foil for easy cleanup.
2 1-pound eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch scallions, whites thinly sliced, greens cut into 1-inch pieces, reserved separately
½ cup tamarind chutney or mango chutney
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon cumin seeds Kosher salt and ground black pepper ¼ cup roasted cashews, chopped
Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Combine the eggplant and scallion whites. In a small bowl, whisk the chutney, oil, honey, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add half of the mixture to the eggplant, toss, then spread evenly on a broiler-safe, rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the eggplant starts to soften, 10 to 12 minutes. Switch to broil and cook until charred in spots, 6 to 10 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the hot eggplant mixture, the remaining chutney mixture, the scallion greens, and the cashews, then serve.
Eggplant ‘Katsu’ MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Traditionally made with either pork or chicken cutlets that are breaded and deep-fried until golden brown and perfectly crisp, katsu is a widely popular Japanese meal. For this version, we opt for eggplant cutlets. The cutlets typically are coated with flour, egg, and bread crumbs, but we use a cornstarch slurry in place of the egg for an ultra-crispy “cutlet” that also happens to be vegan. We also pan-fry rather than deep-fry, making this a bit more home-cook friendly. Our streamlined recipe for the savory-sweet tonkatsu sauce that typically accompanies katsu is an excellent foil to the rich eggplant. Serve with steamed rice or between slices of white bread and a little sliced green cabbage for a “katsu sando.”
Be sure to salt the eggplant and let it stand, as this removes some of the moisture from the eggplant and also helps prevent it from soaking up all the oil while cooking. And conventional bread crumbs should not be substituted for the panko; the latter are essential for their crisp, light texture.
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 Italian eggplants or small globe eggplants (8 to 10 ounces each), trimmed, peeled, and cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick planks
Kosher salt and ground
black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1½ cups panko bread crumbs
1 to 1½ cups grape-seed or
other neutral oil, divided
In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, Worcestershire, and soy sauces; set aside. Season each eggplant slice lightly on both sides with salt and set aside on paper towels for 5 to 10 minutes.
In a pie plate or wide, shallow bowl, stir together the flour and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a second similar dish, whisk together the cornstarch and ‚ cup water. To a third dish, add the panko.
Pat the eggplant dry and, working one slice at a time, dredge through the flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off any excess. Transfer to the cornstarch slurry and turn to coat on both sides. Finally, coat each slice with panko, pressing so that the bread crumbs adhere. Transfer the slices to a large plate.
Line another large plate with paper towels. In a 12inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat, warm ½ cup of oil until shimmering. Add 3 of the eggplant slices and cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the slices and continue to cook until the eggplant is tender and the second sides are golden brown, about another 3 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
Pour off and discard the oil and wipe out the skillet. Cook the remaining eggplant in 1 or 2 more batches in the same way, using ½ cup oil for each. Transfer the eggplant to a platter and serve with the sauce.
Eggplant With Caramelized Tahini and Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
This recipe marries the most delicious qualities of the roasted eggplant dishes we tasted in a handful of London’s many modern Middle Eastern restaurants. Tahini mixed with garlic, lemon, pomegranate molasses, and soy sauce (for umami) is spread onto roasted eggplant, where the mixture browns deeply under the broiler, resulting in amazing depth of flavor that’s a perfect accent to the creamy, subtly-sweet eggplant. A tzatziki-like cucumber-yogurt sauce is a refreshing counterbalance, while a sprinkling of pistachios and herbs offers texture, color, and freshness.
You will need a broilersafe, rimmed baking sheet for this recipe; if yours is nonstick (which likely is not broiler-safe), line it with foil to protect the coating.
Keep a close eye on the eggplant after placing it under the broiler, as the tahini mixture browns quickly and can scorch.
2 medium eggplants (1 to 1½ pounds each), halved lengthwise 2 tablespoons grape-seed or other neutral oil
Kosher salt and ground
black pepper
½ cup tahini
4 medium garlic cloves, finely grated, divided
4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, plus more to serve
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt ¼ English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and shredded on the large holes of a box grater
⅓ cup pistachios, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped fresh dill, mint, flat-leaf parsley, or a combination
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Heat the oven to 475 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Using a paring knife, score the flesh of each eggplant half in a crosshatch pattern, spacing the cuts about ¾ inch apart; don’t cut through the skin. Brush the grape-seed oil onto both sides of each half, then season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet and bake until the edges and skins are browned and the flesh is very soft, 25 to 30 minutes.
While the eggplant roasts, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, three-fourths of the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and the soy sauce, pomegranate molasses, and 2 tablespoons water; set aside. In another small bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the remaining garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside.
When the eggplant is done, remove the baking sheet from the oven and heat the broiler. Using a wide metal spatula, turn the eggplant halves cut side up, then spread the tahini mixture evenly onto top, all the way to the edges. Return to the oven and broil until the tahini mixture is deeply browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter. Top with the yogurt sauce, pistachios, and herbs, then drizzle with additional pomegranate molasses and olive oil.