Roasted Eggplant With Thai Chilis & Mint
Ingredients:
1 shallot, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and ends trimmed
4-6 japanese or Italian eggplants
6 thai chilis, ends trimmed
1 ½ inch knob of ginger, peeled and sliced into medallions
1 cup fresh mint, leaves separated and finely chopped
1 cup fresh scallions, sliced thin
2 tbsp whole cumin
2 tbsp whole coriander
juice from 1 whole lemon
1 cup olive oil, add more as needed
salt and pepper
finishing salt
good bread for serving
Steps:
Place eggplants and thai chilis on a sheet pan and poke all over and on both sides with a fork. Set your oven’s broiler to high and place the sheet pan inside, turning every now and then until fully cooked on all sides. The thai chilis will finish cooking before the eggplants so remove them as soon as they are finished. Once the eggplants are finished cooking, remove them from the oven and set aside to cool.
Combine ginger, coriander and cumin in a pan over medium heat until fragrant and lightly smoking. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
Transfer the mixture to a mortar and pestle and smash everything into a rough powder. Add garlic, half your lemon juice and a tablespoon of salt. Continue smashing to combine everything into a rough paste. Add in your shallot and continue smashing away. Once you have a rough paste, slowly mix in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside for later.
Give your roasted thai chilis a rough chop and set aside for later.
Laying your eggplants flat on a cutting board, one at a time, slice them in half horizontally, from root to tip. With a small spoon, scoop out as many of the seeds as you can. Next, pull out all of the remaining eggplant from its skin. Dispose of the skin and seeds and set the remaining eggplant aside.
In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, chilis, chives, half your mint, the remaining lemon juice, and your herb and spice paste. Whisk the mixture together while gradually integrating olive oil. Pour slowly so that the oil emulsifies as you go. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spoon your babaganoush over a crunchy baguette or some other tasty bread item. Garnish with remaining mint leaves and finishing salt.
#vegetarian