Fried Eggplant with Roasted Garlic Yogurt Sauce
This fried eggplant dish was inspired by Zaytinya, one of my favorite Greek restaurants in DC. Eggplant rounds are lightly coated in flour, seasoned with cumin and turmeric, lightly fried in olive oil and served with a delicious roasted garlic yogurt sauce.
Ingredients
Roasted Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 small head of garlic
- 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup whole fat greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1-2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Eggplant:
- 1 large eggplant peeled and sliced into ½-inch thick discs
- ¾ cup (90 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil for frying
- cilantro leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Roast Garlic and Prepare Garlic Yogurt Sauce: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C) with a rack in the center position. Peel the outer skin layer of the garlic bulb and trim the top of the head (about ¼-inch) with a knife to expose the garlic cloves.
- Place the garlic in aluminum foil, drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and pinch the ends of the foil together, creating a tent.
- Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until garlic cloves are very tender and soft. Allow to cool until lukewarm (or comfortable enough to handle) and remove the roasted cloves into a small food processor. Add the yogurt and lemon juice to the food processor, and pulse until smooth. Place yogurt into a bowl and stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Prepare Eggplant: Place eggplant rounds in a colander, sprinkle with kosher salt, and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes to sweat. Pat the slices dry with a kitchen line.
- Combine the flour, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper in a small, shallow bowl. Set aside another small bowl of water.
- Heat ¼-inch layer of olive oil in a large sauté or frying pan over medium high heat. Lightly coat the eggplant rounds in the flour mixture, then dip into the water (dripping any excess liquid off), and dip again into the flour mixture. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Avoid over-crowding the pan and change oil as necessary.
- Remove and place on rack or paper towel lined plate. Salt immediately. Serve eggplant hot with roasted garlic yogurt sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Inspired by Zaytinya Restaurant.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 227kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 310mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g