Eggplant KuKu With Less Oil

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eggplant, eggplant and eggs, eggplant fritters, Persian fritters, vegetarian fritters

Eggplant KuKu with Less Oil

I love eggplant kuku, but not when it’s soaked with oil. As we all know, eggplants soak up oil like a sponge when fried, regardless of being salted or not. The best way of cooking a healthier kuku is by cutting the eggplants into .5-inch cubes and roasting them in the oven. Eggplants cook a lot faster this way and absorb much less oil.

Eggplant KuKu With Less Oil

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 hour 10 min
Ready in: 1 hour 20 min
Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 medium globe eggplants about 1.5 pounds, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric
4 eggs
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 cup loosely packed parsley chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add chopped eggplants, onions and garlic to a large non-stick roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast, on the lower rack of oven, until golden, about 30 minutes. Half way through roasting, stir the eggplant mixture. Transfer to a bowl, mash and let cool.

Whisk 4 eggs in a small bowl. Add flour, salt, pepper and turmeric and whisk to combine all the ingredients. Stir in chopped parsley and the eggplant mixture. Whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

Oil an 8 by 8-inch ovenproof baking dish, covering the sides to prevent sticking. Pour in the egg mixture and bake uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes.

Eggplant KuKu

Roast eggplants, onions and garlic.

Mash eggplants and set aside to cool.

Whisk eggs with flour and seasonings.

Stir in eggplant mixture and parsley.

Bake in a 350 degrees preheated oven.

Cut into 4 squares.

Eggplant KuKu

Eggplant KuKu with Less Oil

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Eggplant KuKu (Eggplant Frittata)

Tags

eggplant, eggplant and eggs, eggplant fritter, vegetarian fritter

Eggplant Kuku (Eggplant Fritter)

Here is another delicious recipe for eggplant lovers like me. Eggplant kuku is traditionally made by frying the eggplants and onions then mixing them with eggs. This dish can be baked in the oven or cooked on stovetop. Eggplant kuku can be made a day in advance and served either hot or at room temperature with a salad.

Eggplant KuKu (Eggplant Fritters)

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ready in: 1 hour 30 min
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds)
¾ cup oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon turmeric or saffron
6 eggs
1 tablespoon flour

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and cut eggplants into 4 quarters. Generously sprinkle eggplants with salt. Place in a colander set over a bowl to catch the drips.  Allow to sit for 1 hour, 20 minutes if short on time. Rinse under running water, pat dry with paper towel.

Heat ¼ cup oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add eggplants. Brown each side for 2 to 4 minutes. Place on paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet. Add onions and garlic, fry for about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, turmeric or saffron and the eggplants. Mash all the ingredients using a potato masher or a fork. Set aside to cool.

Whisk 6 eggs in a medium size bowl. Add flour and eggplant mixture, stir to combine.

Heat ¼ cup oil in the same skillet over medium heat. When oil becomes hot, carefully pour the eggplant mixture in the skillet. Cover, cook over medium low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until set. Cut into 6 sections using a spatula and gently flip them over. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add more oil if needed.

To cook this dish in the oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1/4 cup oil into an 8 by 8-inch ovenproof baking dish, covering the sides to prevent sticking. Pour in the egg mixture and bake uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes or until the top is puffed and golden brown. Test the doneness of the center of the eggs with a skewer, if it comes out clean then the eggs are cooked.

To roast the eggplants in the oven, place them in a non-stick roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, coating all sides. Roast, on the lower rack of oven, until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Check every 10 to 15 minutes to flip them over. Globe eggplants soak up less oil when browned in oven.

Kuku Bademjan (Eggplant Frittata)

Brown eggplants.

Fry onions and add garlic and seasonings.

Add eggplants to onion mixture.

Mash with a potato masher or fork.

Whisk the eggs.

Add eggplant mixture and flour to the eggs.

Cook until bottom is golden. Cut into 8 sections.

Gently flip the eggplant sections over.

Vegetarian Khoresht Bamieh Bademjan (Eggplant Stew with Okra)

Tags

eggplant, eggplant stew, okra, okra stew, Persian food recipes, Persian recipes, Persian vegetable stew, vegetarian Persian stew

Vegetarian Khoresht Bamieh Bademjan (Eggplant Stew with Okra)

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time:  1 hour 30 min
Ready in: 1 hour 45 min
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For vegetables
2 large globe eggplants
1 pound fresh okra
½ cup olive oil divided

For sauce
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
3 large garlic cloves chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon turmeric
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups hot water
¼ teaspoon ground saffron (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C).

Using a sharp knife make a shallow cut around the head of the eggplants and remove the leafy parts overlapping the flesh (optional). Peel eggplants, cut into quarters (cut in half lengthwise, cut each half into quarters lengthwise).

Place eggplants in a non-stick roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, coating all sides. Roast, on the lower rack of oven, until golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Check every 10 to 15 minutes to flip them over. Globe eggplants soak up less oil when browned in oven.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add okras, cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

Keep okras intact to prevent them from becoming mushy and slippery when cooked. When cleaning, cut the stem ends without getting too close to the pod. Okras release a gelatinous substance when pierced during cooking.

While eggplants are roasting, heat 4 tablespoons oil in a medium shallow pot. Add chopped onions, cook over medium-high heat until slightly golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep from burning. Add garlic, cook 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, turmeric, salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium, cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, to develop a richer color and flavor in the sauce. Stir in lemon juice, water and saffron.

Add eggplants and okras to the sauce, cook 30 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve over basmati rice.

Vegetarian Khoresht Bamieh Bademjan (Vegetarian Eggplant Stew with Okra)

Peel eggplants, cut into quarters.

Place eggplants in a non-stick roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, coating all sides.

Roast in 400° F (200° C) oven until golden brown 35 to 40 minutes.

When cleaning okras, cut the stem ends without getting too close to the pod.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add okras, cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Cook onions over medium-high heat until slightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add garlic, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, salt, pepper and turmeric.

Cook 3 to 4 minutes to develop a richer color and flavor in the sauce.

Stir in water, lemon juice and saffron.

Add eggplants and okras to the sauce.

Cook 30 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Khoresht Bademjan (Eggplant Stew)

Tags

eggplant, Eggplant and beef, persian food, Persian food recipes, Persian recipes

In khoresht bademjan, fried eggplants cook in a rich and aromatic tomato sauce. The spongy texture of eggplants, when fried, absorbs a lot of oil, some of which is released during cooking as the air pockets in the eggplants collapse. However, the oil that is left in the eggplants absorbs the rich flavors of the sauce and creates a soft and buttery texture in the eggplants.

Khoresht Bademjan (Eggplant Stew)

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time:  2 hour
Ready in: 2 hour 15 min
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 large onion chopped
6 tablespoons oil for frying onion
2 pounds good quality flat iron roast, cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon turmeric
pinch of saffron (optional)
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh lemon juice or 6 dried Persian limes
2½ cups hot water
½ cup vegetable oil for frying eggplants
8 Japanese eggplants peeled

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a 4.5-quart nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.  Add meat, tomato paste and turmeric, fry for 5 minutes until meat is slightly browned. Add 2½ cups hot water, salt, and pepper, saffron and lemon juice or dried limes and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours.

Meantime heat 1/2 cup of oil in a large nonstick skillet and fry the eggplants until golden brown.

When meat is fork tender, gently place the eggplants over the meat. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Serve over white rice.

Set up all the ingredients next to your work space.

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a 4.5-quart nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Add meat, tomato paste and turmeric.

Fry for 5 minutes until meat is slightly browned.

Add 2 ½ cups hot water, salt, and pepper and lemon juice and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours.

Using a knife remove the leafy part overlapping the flesh by making a shallow cut around the head of the eggplant then peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Keeping the head will prevent the eggplant from disintegrating while cooking. Also it make s nice presentation.

Meantime heat 1/2 cup of oil in a large nonstick skillet and fry the eggplants until golden brown.

Bademjan (Eggplant)