Egyptian pickled eggplant - Betingan mekhelil
Pickled eggplant- the tangy, spicy, fiercely garlicky side to accompany so many Egyptian meals. Perfect as a side dish with any meal, on its own in pita bread, or tucked into a sandwich to provide a spicy, juicy and acidic burst of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 lb eggplant approximately 1 graffiti or globe eggplant, or 2 Italian eggplants, etc
- 4 large cloves garlic fresh
- 1 green or red chili pepper eg serrano chili
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt or 1/2 tsp table salt
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil or other neutral oil for frying
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 2 TBS warm water
Instructions
- In a mortar and pestle or food processor, combine garlic, chili pepper and salt and pound or process into a paste. If you don't have these tools, mince garlic and chili as finely as possible, top with salt and crush with the side of a knife to reach a pasty consistency.
- Add cumin, vinegar, water and minced parsley to garlic and chili paste. Set aside.
- Wash eggplant and trim the ends. Slice into 2 cm/ 1/2 inch rounds.
- Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat until shimmering. Fry eggplant, flipping carefully, until deep golden brown on both sides and cooked through- about 10 minutes.
- Transfer eggplant to storage container with airtight lid, without draining oil. Spoon pickling mix all over eggplant, making sure to tuck eggplant in so its all covered.
- Serve hot or transfer to fridge until cool, preferably overnight
Notes
Pickled eggplant should be hot and potently garlicky and acidic- but if the flavor is too intense, drizzle some good quality olive oil over it to tame it down.