This one tops the list of side dishes. It is a versatile and multi purpose dish, that goes both has a salad and a vegetable dish. Aubergine is the most universal vegetable. Every culture has its own aubergine recipe. Aubergine salad is the most popular style. Turkish aubergine salad is a popular starter. A simple dish with roasted aubergine dressed in garlic, olive oil served with tomatoes and cucumber. Its Greek cousin is cooked on stove , then blended dressed in garlic and olive oil served with luscious greek yougurt.
In India this a dish which is common among its different communities. The basics are same only the dressing varies from place to place. Aubergine's are roasted(almost burnt for smoky flavor) on gas stove or earthen ovens. It's skin is peeled off and with a fork it is amalgamated into a mash with salt, garlic and mustard oil. To enhance its smoky flavor , add dry red chillies(1 or 2)heat in oil to make it crisp. Then crumble it and add in the aubergine salad. It can be served with green chillies, roasted tomatoes and chopped coriander. In some parts in India, Yogurt is added to make it a creamy texture.
This salad can be eaten as salad, also as a side dish with scented rice or flat breads. It also makes a delicious sandwich base with tomato and cucumber filling.It can be served as a dip. As a dip one can mix aubergine mash with yogurt and add saffron for color and flavor.A basic recipe is given below:
3 Augergine's roasted (almost burn't)
1 tsp mustard oil
2 dry red chillies
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
2 green chillies
salt to taste
1 tsp finely chopped green coriander
Roast aubergine's on gas stove or bake it in oven wrapped in alminium oil for an hr at 200C.
Once cool remove the skin and just mash it with a fork into almost a paste like textur. Roast the dry chillies in a pan in a tsp oil till crisp. Crumble them then add it to the aubergine mash. Chop garlic and green chillies and add them to the mash along with coriander, salt and oil.Mix well and serve.
