Smoked Eggplant and Yogurt Salad

The smokiness of the eggplant balances well with the peanut flavor in this salad. Serve alongside your favorite Indian dish or use for dipping with toasted pita and vegetables. If you don’t have a grill, broil the eggplant until charred.
4 cups
Ingredients
1 each of tomato, peeled, seeded, diced
1/3 cup of scallions, finely chopped
1 1/4 cup of yogurt
3 tbsp of peanut oil
1 tbsp of ginger, finely grated
1/2 tsp of cayenne
1/3 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 tsp of cumin, ground, roasted
1 each of tomato, peeled, seeded, diced
1 cup of sour cream
1/4 tsp of salt, to taste
paprika, as garnish
Instructions
- Wash and dry the eggplant. Rub lightly with oil and place on a medium heat grill. Grill until tender by laying the eggplant on its side and, turning it every couple of minutes with a pair of tongs until it is fully charred and very soft. (About 15 minutes). When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel it and chop the pulp coarsely. Place in a mesh sieve to drain. Pat dry the pulp with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and place it in a bowl.
- Combine the yogurt, sour cream and salt in another bowl until it is thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium. Add the ginger and cayenne pepper and let it sizzle for 10 seconds. Increase the heat to high and add the eggplant mixture. Fry, turning and tossing, until the tomatoes and scallions look a little fried and the eggplant loses its excess moisture and begins to look drier (about 5 minutes). Turn off the heat.
- Fold in the coriander and half the cumin. When cool, add it to the yogurt mixture. Stir well to mix. Serve sprinkled with the remaining cumin and paprika or cayenne
Adapted from Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking© 1985 Julie Sahni
Estimated Nutritional Information
Calories:
178kcal
Carbohydrates:
12g
Cholesterol:
4mg
Saturated Fat:
2g
Unsaturated Fat:
8g
Fiber:
12g
Protein:
10g
Sodium:
182mg
Sugar:
8g