How to Prepare Eggplant
How to Prepare Eggplant
The versatile eggplant, which can range from a delicate white to the deepest purple, lends body and a distinctive flavor to many dishes. Unfortunately, most recipes start with breading and frying slices of eggplant in butter or oil, often layering them underneath a ton of cheese, or immersing them in a salty, greasy sauce. Try these suggestions for how to prepare eggplant dishes that won’t weigh you down.
Before you start, consider your cooking method. Some people don’t like the slight bitterness of eggplant, a taste more likely to occur in dishes where the eggplant is baked, grilled, or fried. To mellow your eggplant, cut it into half-inch slices, spread out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Leave the salt on for 30 minutes, and then wipe it off, and proceed with your dish.
If you love eggplant Parmesan, lighten it up by baking the eggplant instead of frying. Cut eggplant into half-inch thick slices; dip in egg white, coat with breadcrumbs, and bake to your desired tenderness. Alternatively, serve sliced baked eggplant, with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and herbs, as a sandwich filling or a side dish.
Grilling and broiling are also excellent ways to “healthy up” your eggplant. Its firmness makes it the perfect kebab vegetable. Cut into cubes, marinate if desired, and alternate with cherry tomatoes, green peppers, chunks of onion or other vegetables, and low-fat cuts of meat. You can simply brush slices of eggplant with a touch of olive oil and a sprinkle of your favorite herbs, and grill until tender.
Got a wok? Try eggplant in your next stir-fry, replacing some of the oil with orange juice and a touch of reduced-sodium soy sauce. Toss in the eggplant with the firmer vegetables, as they take longer to cook.
Roasting is another healthful way to serve eggplant. Mix chunks of eggplant, red or green peppers, and onions with a touch of oil and salt, and then roast briefly to bring out the natural sweetness of the vegetables.
Eggplant in a stew or curry can be a diet-friendly preparation, as long as you watch the amount of oil, butter, and salt you add. Boost the flavor of the dish by cooking in vegetable or meat stocks. Add richness to your curry without a lot of fat by adding light coconut milk instead of other liquids.
If you’re feeling ambitious, whip up some Baba Ganoush, a Middle Eastern dip made from eggplant. Cut an eggplant in half vertically and roast until tender. Cool, scrape the insides into a bowl, and then purée with garlic, onion, lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons of oil, and a bit of cumin. Serve with raw vegetables or slices of pita bread. This is an excellent dish to bring to a party; at least you’ll know something on the snack table is low in fat.
So, as you can see, there’s no need to resort to the usual fatty dishes now that you know how to prepare eggplant in these skinnier but still delicious ways.
Credits
Removing the Bitterness from Eggplant
Photo by Kevin Conners, Morguefile.com
