Best Ways To Cook Eggplant

When picking out the best eggplant, there are certain things to keep in mind. Some of them are: look, touch, and weight. Here is a brief explanation of each.

Appearance: Seek out eggplants with smooth glossy skin that has a uniform color all over (in shades of purple or white). The absence of blemishes, wrinkles, or discoloration may mean that it is ripe and fresh.

Texture: Press the eggplant gently with your thumb; Its surface should yield slightly but not too much. If the flesh inside feels too soft or spongy, this means that it was harvested when overripe and might taste bitter. 

Weight: A good eggplant should be heavy for its size. A heavier eggplant usually signifies a greater water content which means freshness and fleshiness when cooked. So avoid getting light-weighted ones. 

There are many delicious methods of cooking eggplant which enhance its distinct taste and feel. For instance, roasting the vegetable in the oven produces a soft, syrupy texture with a very sweet flavor.

Grilling gives eggplant an earthy, woody flavor while stir-frying quickly browns it to make it suitable for all kinds of dishes such as pasta, stir-fries, or salads.

1. Fried Eggplant

Frying means the use of a stove and pan with some extra oil. So, let’s learn how to fry eggplant: 

Eggplant Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoon Oil, for frying

Instructions

• First, start by choosing a firm, glossy eggplant that is fresh. The eggplant should be thoroughly washed before being used to eliminate dirt and pesticides remaining on it.
• Peel off the skin if desired or recipe demands. You can use a peeler to do that. Also, remove the top and bottom ends of this vegetable using a sharp knife. 
• Cut the eggplant into uniform slices or desired shapes. Don’t make thick slices, ½ inch of thickness is good. 
• Put some salt on your sliced-up eggplant pieces and let them sit for 30 minutes. That way unnecessary water is absorbed by the salt. Afterward, make the veggie dry by patting them with paper towels.
• Give a good grease to the eggplant slices with oil or butter, then mix into bread crumbs in a bowl, and sprinkle some cheese if desired. This whole process gives a crisp texture to the eggplant. 
• Melt oil in a pan over medium heat after which you may proceed frying each batch of eggplant slices for about 3-4 minutes per side. Continue frying and flipping until they become golden. 
• When done remove the fried aubergines on paper towel-lined plates. This absorbs any excess vegetable fat from them and serves while still hot.

2. Roasted Eggplant

A popular way to eat eggplant is to roast them. Roasting demands the use of the oven. So, let’s look at the instructions and learn how to roast eggplant in the oven:

Eggplant Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• ½ Salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ pepper
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

• First thing, allow the oven to preheat (200°C). This creates a heated temperature inside the oven and cooks the eggplant evenly. Next, ready a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Rinse the eggplant using water and dry them out with paper towels. When done drying, slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick rounds or cubes as per choice.
• Now, gather the ingredients in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, minced garlic, and dried thyme to that bowl. Mix together these ingredients nicely. 
• Slightly grease the eggplant slices with oil or butter, and then put together with mixed ingredients. Coating the slices is a must with seasonings. That way flavors come to the point.
• Place arranged eggplant pieces on a prepared baking sheet. Then, drizzle on some olive oil or butter in such a manner that each piece has a light touch. Use a brush if needed.
• Roast for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven. Flip the sides of the eggplant halfway and then allow it to roast for the remaining time. This results in an even cooking process 
• When it turns golden brown and gets tender, take it out of the oven and serve it hot as a side dish or add it to the salad or sandwiches, etc.

3. Sauteing Eggplant

Sauteing is simply the use of less fat or oil to cook eggplant slices in a skillet. This one is easy to make. So, let’s learn to make sauteed eggplant:  

Eggplant Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant, diced
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• ½  teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried herb

Instructions

• Clean the eggplant with normal water. 
• Move towards chopping off both ends of the vegetable and peel off the skin, if you like.
• Cut the eggplant into small cubes and sprinkle some salt to the pieces. Let it stay like this for 30 minutes so that excess water can be removed. Once resting, wash off the eggplant with tap water and pat it dry.
• Sit a large skillet on the stove. Adjust the heat to medium flame and pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil heats, add minced garlic and saute for 1 minute until it gives a garlicky smell. 
• Pour the cubed eggplants into the pan spreading them all over the surface of the pan. It takes about 8-10 minutes to cook eggplants while stirring occasionally until they turn gold in color but also become soft at the same time.
• While adding black pepper to taste; if you like spicy food add red pepper flakes too; but feel free to adjust salt levels according to your preference. Combine everything well by sauteing again for an extra 2 minutes.
• Then remove from flame and point out some fresh herbs like basil or parsley on top of them serve hot available way.

4. Grilled Eggplant

Grilling eggplant is a fun way to cook. Try out this grilled eggplant recipe if you own a grill machine. You’ll love the outcome. So, let’s explore how to grill eggplant: 

Eggplant Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried herb

Instructions

• Before going to the ingredients, assemble the grill and leave it to preheat. 
• Start with rinsing the eggplant and move towards cutting the top and bottom ends of it. 
• Next, peel the skin if you like. Use a vegetable peeler to do that. Once done with the ends, slice off the eggplant with ½ inch thickness. This is perfect for grilling. 
• Apply a good amount of oil or butter to the slices. This holds the seasonings properly. 
• Get garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and dried herb in a bowl and mix until they blend nicely. Add paprika for a bit of spicy kick.
• Now coat the eggplant slices with mixed ingredients and make sure all sides are covered in seasonings. 
• Grill the slices. Simply place seasoned eggplant slices on the grill and allow them to cook for 4-5 minutes each side. Once one side gets slightly brown, turn it to the other side and cook for another 4-5 minutes. 
• Once done cooking all the slices, allow them to cool for 2-3 minutes and proceed to serve with your go-to sauce or any side dishes. 

Eggplant indeed is a versatile vegetable. One can prepare this nutrient-filled veggie in different ways. Each method gives unique flavors and textures. The time it takes to cook eggplant depends on the chosen method, size as well as thickness of the pieces being cooked.

Generally, grilling eggplants take 4-5 minutes a side using medium-high heat until soft and charred. An oven roasting at 400°F (200°C) will take 25-30 minutes for half pieces or slices to be golden and soft in texture.

While sauteing diced eggplants in a pan with oil on medium flame it should take around 8-10 minutes till they become light brown and tender-ish.

When frying one can expect the eggplant pulp to become edible after approximately 2-3 minutes when it can be easily pierced using a fork.

Normally, cooking eggplant is very simple. But a few tricks can help you get the right results each time you make it. Here are some tips to achieve perfect results every time:

• Prevent Bitterness: Sometimes eggplants have a bitter taste. To avoid this sprinkle salt in sliced eggplant and leave it for 30 before rinsing and cooking. This draws out the bitterness and excess moisture.
• Minimize Oil Absorption: Eggplants suck a lot of oils when frying or sautéing. To prevent excess absorption, spray eggplant slices lightly with oil before cooking them. Or you can brush a thin layer of oil on them before sitting them in the pan. 
• Cook Evenly: The slice thickness should be uniform throughout making sure that none gets burnt while another is undercooked.
• Select the Right Kind of Eggplant: Look for firm and smooth unblemished flawless ones, not those that are overripe or rotten because such ones will only make a mushy texture with less flavor than desired ultimately.

In case you have been making a particular type of eggplant, then this one is for you. Let’s be familiar with some eggplant recipes:

• Eggplant Parmesan: An Italian dish cooked with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Bake them until turn golden brown. Then, enjoy the cheesy eggplant with pasta or garlic bread. 
• Baba Ganoush: This creamy Middle Eastern dip is mainly prepared from roasted eggplant tahini lemon juice and garlic. It is an ideal appetizer. One can serve it with pita bread or some fresh vegetables that have a smoky flavor that is rich as well as tangy.
• Grilled Eggplant Salad: Toss the thin slices of grilled eggplants with fresh herbs, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and light vinaigrette. These in combination make up the perfect summer salad. This goes well for both a main course and a side dish as warm weather approaches.
• Eggplant Stir-Fry: Chopped pieces of an eggplant quickly sautéed with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. For super speedy weeknight dinners that taste great, serve it over steamed rice or noodles.
• Stuffed Eggplant: A pair of halved hollowed-out eggplants filled with either ground meat mixed with rice plus herbs & spices and then cooked till soft is called stuffed eggplants. This dish is full-filling in its way too by being complemented by either tomato sauce or yogurt which adds to its richness.

Are eggplants healthy? 

Without a doubt! This low-calorie vegetable holds a lot of good nutrition. Some examples would be fiber, vitamins, and minerals. You could obtain various health benefits if you start making eggplants a part of your daily diet. 

Do I need to peel eggplant?

It depends on you. Normally, younger eggplant has a softer skin which tastes good if you eat it. But the case is different with older ones. The skin gets thicker and tastes slightly bitter. Hopefully, you got the answer. 

Is it necessary to salt the eggplant before cooking?

It is not necessary to salt the eggplant. But doing it has some advantages. Not all but some eggplants have some bitter taste and extra moisture within the flesh so, salting removes the excess moisture as a result reduces the bitterness in its juice. Now, it’s up to you!

Which cooking method is best for eggplant?

Each cooking method is good for eggplant as each one gives a different texture and flavor. But if I have to say, I’d go with the roasting method. Because it doesn’t require the use of much fat or oil and gives healthy and tasty eggplants. 

Its texture and flavor may be retained for longer periods if eggplant is properly stored. Here are some pointers on how to store eggplants:

How to store whole eggplant?

To keep the moisture intact and prevent rapid decaying, it’s advisable to store an eggplant whole rather than cutting it up beforehand.

There is nothing much to do here, just put the eggplant inside the sealable plastic bag or wrap it with foil, then place it in the refrigerator or freezer. This way the whole eggplant can go from 1 week (in the fridge) to 1 year (in the freezer)

Eggplant is sensitive to cold temperatures so hold on to such items in a crisper drawer or a warmer section of your fridge. Try not to place it in the back part or next to the freezer compartment.

How to store cooked eggplant?

The way to it is simple. All it needs is an airtight container or resealable plastic bags. Unlike the whole one, cooling is important for cooked eggplant so let them cool after cooking.

Once cooled fully, put them in a sanitized airtight container. That way the eggplant lasts for a week or 5-6 days. If you want the eggplant to last for up to 5-6 months, put the container in the freezer.