Crispy spiced eggplant

Recipes / Vegetarian

Our new favourite fries are made from eggplant and served with spicy chickpeas and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Recipe «Crispy spiced eggplant» presented in category Recipes / Vegetarian, to prepare this dish you will need no more 30 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author Gomer would need: 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle, 1 brown onion, finely chopped, 3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated, 2 long fresh green chillies, halved, deseeded, finely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, crushed , 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon , 400g can diced tomatoes, 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, 125ml water, 75g plain flour, 2 eggs, 100g panko breadcrumbs, 8 Lebanese eggplants, halved lengthways, Grapeseed oil, to shallow-fry.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle 
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped 
  • 3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated 
  • 2 long fresh green chillies, halved, deseeded, finely chopped 
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
  • 1 tsp ground cumin 
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice 
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
  • 400g can diced tomatoes 
  • 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed 
  • 125ml water 
  • 75g plain flour 
  • 2 eggs 
  • 100g panko breadcrumbs 
  • 8 Lebanese eggplants, halved lengthways 
  • Grapeseed oil, to shallow-fry 
  • Greek yoghurt, to serve 
  • Baby spinach leaves, to serve 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan forced. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the ginger, chilli and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until soft. Stir in the cumin, allspice and cinnamon. Add the tomato, chickpeas and water. Bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly.
  2. Meanwhile, place the flour on a plate. Season. Lightly whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a separate plate. Dip 1 eggplant half in the flour. Shake off excess. Dip in egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to coat. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, flour, egg and breadcrumbs.
  3. Pour enough grapeseed oil into a frying pan to come 1cm up the side. Heat over medium-high heat. Cook the eggplant halves, in batches, for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden. Drain on a plate lined with paper towel.
  4. Place the eggplant, flat-side up, on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until just tender. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with the tomato mixture. Dollop over the yoghurt. Scatter with the spinach leaves and drizzle with extra oil. Season with pepper.