What is aubergine like?

Question

Never tried it and don't know how to cook it either x

Answer 1

Its actually my fav. Its like a purple (shape of squash) vegetable. I normally grill it which takes about 5 mins. You can add cheese on top with chopped tomatoes. You can cut it into cubes and boil it norm takes about 15 mins. I like to slice it mix it with tomatoes, add corgette, onions, pepper and simmer (kind of ratatouille).
Try it its great.....go to a restaurant with mousakka-the main ingredient is aubergine.

Answer 2

Surely you must have had moussaka before. It is full of aubergine. We have aubergine every week sometimes more than once. There are many nice ways to do it some of them have been mentioned but someone said that you cannot boil it and one of my fav. ways of having it is to boil it, then cut it in half and scrape the flesh inside into a dish mix it with lightly fried onions and add some tinned tomatoes (not too much otherwise it will take over the flavour). Put it back into the skin and grate some cheese over the top. Put it in the oven before serving to bake the cheese and heat.
You should season to taste.
As a mere male that doesn't go near the kitchen, I have only seen it done. It is really good.
Another really tasty veg that you get here now is butternut squash. this is so good and sweet done anyway from steamed to baked. As I did not originate here in UK I have grown up eating these several times a week all my life.

Answer 3

There are lots of recipes for things with aubergine (also known as eggplant). You can look one up in a book or on a site such as www.recipes.com. It can be baked, fried or sauteed - not boiled.

It's tasty and succulent and absorbs other flavours really well. It's important not to undercook it because it's a bit nasty when it's raw. It shouldn't be crunchy but it's nice anywhere from al dente to disintegrating.

Answer 4

its gorgeous- depending on how you eat it...
theres two ways my mum makes it (indian way)
one involves cooking it with yoghurt at the end (my FAVE) and the other is in some "king" dish, but i find it too greasy
of course the way i eat it most days (the lazy way) is in a roast veg panini - found all over london cafes!

i think you grill the aubergine first til its flat (rub oil over it first) then you cook it how you want it..
another of my fave (slimy-ish but tasty) veg is okra/lady fingers.. de-lish :P

Answer 5

it tastes quite meaty! I love aubergines they are yummy. especially in moussaka

Dont try and cook it in low fat recipes - it just doesnt work - goes very watery and soggy it's nicest grilled, baked in the oven or fried or stuffed but you do need some oil on it

Answer 6

Its bloody lovely, cook it same as you would a courgette, goes really well in any tomato based mince and pasta dish, casserole, stir fry you can do almost anything with it my fave is Ratatouille

Answer 7

Aubergine is French for "eggplant"

Because the eggplant is a member of the nightshade family, it's related to the potato and tomato. Though commonly thought of as a vegetable, eggplant is actually a fruit . . . specifically a berry. There are many varieties of this delicious food, ranging in color from rich purple to white, in length from 2 to 12 inches and in shape from oblong to round. In the United States, the most common eggplant is the large, cylindrical- or pear-shape variety with a smooth, glossy, dark purple skin. It's available year-round, with the peak season during August and September. Choose a firm, smooth-skinned eggplant heavy for its size; avoid those with soft or brown spots. Eggplants become bitter with age and are very perishable. They should be stored in a cool, dry place and used within a day or two of purchase. If longer storage is necessary, place the eggplant in the refrigerator vegetable drawer. When young, the skin of most eggplants is deliciously edible; older eggplants should be peeled. Since the flesh discolors rapidly, an eggplant should be cut just before using. Bitter, overripe fruit can benefit by the ancient method of salting both halves and weighting them for 20 minutes before rinsing; the salt helps eliminate some of the acrid taste. Eggplant can be prepared in a variety of ways including baking, broiling and frying. It does, however, have spongelike capacity to soak up oil so it should be well coated with a batter or crumb mixture to inhibit fat absorption. Many other varieties of this versatile fruit are now finding their way into some markets. The very narrow, straight Japanese or Asian eggplant ranges in color from solid purple to striated shades and has tender, slightly sweet flesh. The Italian or baby eggplant looks like a miniature version of the common large variety, but has a more delicate skin and flesh. The appearance of the egg-shaped white eggplant makes it clear how this fruit was named. It has a tougher skin, but firmer, smoother flesh. In general, these varieties can be cooked in many of the same methods as the large eggplant. They rarely require salting, however, and usually benefit from a short cooking time.


Aubergine in Garlic Sauce

about 4 cups chopped eggplant (use cylinder shaped; should be chopped in about 1 inch cylinder shape segments)
8 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup ketchup (approximation)
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1/4 - 1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons white soy sauce
1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese chili sauce
1/8 teaspoon MSG
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped green onions (green part only)
about 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in water
2 tablespoons hot oil (add to finished sauce)

Fry eggplant in oil over medium heat, for about 8 min. When frying cycle was completed, the eggplant is dark yellow in color. After frying drain well and set aside.

Fry ginger and garlic in a little oil for about 30 sec. When you smell strong aroma, add ketchup and stir for a minute or so. Add Chinese chile sauce and stir well. Next, add white wine and simmer for a minute or two. After this, add all other ingredients except green onions and cornstarch. Stir and allow mixture to simmer for a couple of minutes before adding cornstarch. Just as mixture starts to thicken, add chopped green onions and hot oil, stir for a minute or so and add eggplant to sauce. Once eggplant is coated with sauce, turn off fire, remove from wok/skillet and serve over white rice.

Answer 8

Slimey.. but I like it! You slice it and cover it in salt to get the moisture and biterness out, then wash it and fry it, its yum but not many people like it. Put it in ratatouille (with tinned toms, courgettes and onions, then boil up) that way the taste isn't as strong.

Answer 9

It is Egg Plant. You can fry it or cook it in many ways. My favorite dish with eggplant is Eggplant Parmesan.

Answer 10

To grill- slice egg plant in 1/2 in slices length wise- brush with olive oil, season with s & p- grill til soft but not mushy, I sometimes top with mozzarella.

Eggplant Parmigana
1 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 medium eggplant, sliced into 6 (1/2-inch) rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed and then minced
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 (15-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place bread crumbs on a shallow plate. Pour egg substitute onto another shallow plate. Place a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet. Take a round of eggplant, dip it into the egg substitute until fully covered, and then drag through the bread crumbs until completely coated; transfer to a wire rack. Repeat for each round of eggplant and then bake in oven for 15 minutes.

While eggplant is baking, heat olive oil in a 5-quart nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the chili flakes and stir to incorporate. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to blend completely. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the basil, and remove from heat.

Remove eggplant from oven and leave oven at 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a medium-sized casserole dish (about 13 by 11 inches) with the eggplant rounds. Pour the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Top with the cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is soft and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Moussaka
3 large eggplants
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, sliced in thin circles
1 handful fresh oregano leaves, chopped
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 pounds ground lamb
1 cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup fresh bread crumbs

To prepare the eggplants: Cut off the stems, remove the skin with a vegetable peeler, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Season all the pieces of eggplant with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat a large skillet with oil and heat over medium flame. Fry the eggplant in a single layer, turning once, until brown on both sides- you will need to do this in batches, adding more oil, as necessary. Drain the eggplant as they cook on a paper towel-lined platter.
Add a little more oil to the pan and toss in the onion, garlic, lemon slices, oregano, and parsley. Cook and stir until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the ground lamb, stirring to break up the meat; season with salt and pepper, and toss in the cinnamon stick. Stir in the tomato paste and hand-crushed tomatoes. Simmer until the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with 1/3 of the eggplant slices; they should completely cover the bottom with no gaps. Spread 1/2 of the meat sauce over the eggplant, evening it out with a spatula. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the feta and Parmesan. Repeat the layers again, ending with a final layer of eggplant. Cover the top with a nice even layer of bread crumbs. Bake the moussaka for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.