Braised Baharat Eggplant

Braised Baharat Eggplant

PREP TIME

10 minutes

COOK TIME

20 minutes

YIELDS

4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp The Spice People’s Lebanese Baharat
  • 3 small eggplants, trimmed and cut into wedges
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp cornflour mixed with 1tbsp water
  • Fresh coriander for garnish
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Memories

Fragrant, flavourful, sumptuous and oh so silky, this braised eggplant is an absolute explosion of flavour with the most wonderful soft, silky texture. I love cooking with eggplant as it soaks up any flavour that crosses its path like a sponge and when braised like this, becomes so soft and decadent, it’s a true delight!

The Lebanese Baharat in this dish adds all the perfect sweet, aromatic, spicy notes that complement the flavours used in this dish perfectly.

I like to serve it on a bed of fluffy rice to mop up all the wonderful juices, but you can also serve with potato, thick slices of fresh bread, or even on the side of a meat or fish dish.

*I’ve used small eggplants in this dish, but if yours are larger, you may need to pre-salt and drain them for 30 minutes beforehand to remove excess water and bitterness.

Directions

  1. In a bowl, mix together your tomato paste, Baharat spice mix, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, stock, sugar, and garlic.
  2. Place a heavy-based pan on med-high heat with olive oil and when hot, add your eggplant wedges in bathes and sear until golden on all sides.
    Return all the seared wedges to the pan and cover with your sauce mix. Place a lid over the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Stir through the cornflour mixture and simmer for a further minute until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and serve with fluffy rice and sprinkle with your fresh coriander and enjoy!