Cypriot Recipes
Fried Aubergines (Eggplants) with Tomatoes
Although it’s technically a fruit (a berry, to be exact), the aubergine is used as a vegetable. It’s native to South-East Asia, but is grown all over the world, and there are many different varieties, including the bulbous, glossy, deep purple zepplin-like types common to Mediterrean cuisine; the small, tubular Asian types; the small, plump and ivory examples (hence ‘eggplant’, its name in the United States and Australia); or the scarcely-bigger-than-a-pea varieties grown in Thailand. All varieties share the same bland, mildly smokey flavour and flesh that’s spongey when raw but soft when cooked.
How to choose the best: Firm, smooth, glossy examples, with bright green stalks. A fresh aubergine should feel fairly heavy.
Ingredients
1 kg aubergines (eggplants)
2/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 onions, sliced
4 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
salt
Preparation
– Wash the aubergines, peel and cut into 1/2 cm thick slices , sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
– Wash out aubergines and pat dry. Fry a few at a time and drain on absorbent paper.
– Sauté the onions and garlic, add the tomatoes, and simmer uncovered for a few minutes. Add the fried aubergines and a little water and cook over a low heat until the aubergines are soft and the sauce has thickened.
Source: moa.gov.cy
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