I’ve never liked brinjals or eggplants when I was young. Only much later than I realized it’s the way it was cooked in the old oriental style that makes it mushy. I am quite afraid of mushy food.
I learnt to enjoy it after I followed a chef on TV to fry it till caramelized and top it on pasta in crushed raw tomato sauce with basil, sea salt and lots of black pepper. That’s when I know that other than onions, brinjals and eggplants can be cooked till caramelized as well and it taste really good.
Grilling or pan fry works for me. This time, although it takes more effort, I pan fried it to avoid getting hard edges that results from grilling.
1 large brinjal cut into pieces about half a centimeter thick (egg plants are more expensive in Singapore)
Sea salt
Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Chopped cherry tomatoes
Lemon juice
Heat up enough olive oil in a non-stick pan over small-medium fire. Put in brinjals and add salt and pepper. Fry both sides till brown and caramelized. Remove from pan and cool it in the fridge for an hour. Squeeze a quarter lemon and serve with chopped cherry tomatoes.
gotasté 
This looks really, really good!
Thanks Judy. They are like sponge absorbing quite an amount of oil though.
‘I am quite afraid of mushy food.’ This really made me laugh!!
I love the sound of the combination of the caramelised aubergine and freshness of raw tomato. Yum!
Thanks for dropping by Gabriela. Now that you mention, yes aubergine is another name for brinjal. I remember british celebrity chef Keith Floyed describe it in his cooking program.
I did wonder, when I wrote aubergine if I was just going to complicate matters – but that’s how I’ve always known it! I’m not sure if I knew that brinjal was another name for them. Either way, you’ve given me a craving, so I might make a point of getting some at the market this weekend. What about some finely sliced olives in with the tomatoes? Do you think that would go?
Yes! I think finely sliced olives should give extra flavor, color and texture to spice up this dish. Why didn’t I thought of that. Let me know how it goes if you try it. You are using black olives right? Not that green ones are no good 🙂
I just saw your like on my page and remembered that I had tried this dish with black olives and wanted to let you know that it came out really well. I had it with pasta and added just a splash of red wine vinegar and it was really good.
hey! I am so glad it turned out well and thanks for sharing. I am sure red wine vinegar adds on to the flavor! If you like it with pasta, you can try this quick recipe: cut brinjal and potatoes into thick stripes and fry in olive oil till brinjal caramelized. For the pasta sauce, mesh up raw tomatoes with garlic, basil, black pepper and sea salt. Throw in hot pasta and top it up with brinjal and potatoes. Finish it off with extra virgin olive oil and grated parmigano cheese. I saw this recipe on TV many years ago and tried. It was really good.
YUM!!!!! Now, that is definitely a keeper. Will try that one soon. Thanks 😉
You are welcomed 🙂
英文有进步 😉
谢谢! 我会继续加油的 🙂
I thik this delicious
Thank you for dropping by and liking my post.
I am kinda scared of eggplant, but this looks really good. 🙂 I like that the recipe uses sea salt.
I used to scared of them as well. Try the grilling method. It may change your views 🙂 Thank you for dropping by my blog and liking it.
You’re killing me! Yumm. Also, love the new gravitar
Thank you Jennifer. How have you been? Have you settled down?
I am well and have settled back in the last few days. I am returning to Verona at the end of November so I have that to look forward to 🙂 I know you’ll appreciate it when I say that – THE FOOD WAS SOOOO GOOD! I am a foodie and love to eat. Surprising I didn’t come back tot he states as big as a house….must’ve been all the walking and bike riding 🙂
How are things on your island?
Good to know you are well.
How can you torture me with such a comment 🙂 knowing you are having big ripe red juicy plum tomatoes with the best olive oil in the world has already made me real jealous 🙂 Its not that easy to put on extra pounds if you are eating good healthy food plus wine to help digestion. Not forgetting all the walking to see breathtaking sites after a meal.
This little island of mine has too much cutting edge technology but too little life which we are all desperately searching for. The total opposite of Tuscany. The forest fire haze from Indonesia killed most of my basil so i’ll need to replant them. The monsoon season is here and it rains every other day. Hoping there will be just enough sunlight for my new basil to grow well. You know good food and my basil makes me happy. Luckily my rosemary is really strong to battle the haze.
A basil death is most surely a sad day. It is my very favorite herb. I’m sending positive energy to your little baby plants.
J
P.S. Rosemary is impossible to kill I think. The plant will surely survive for years!
Positive energy download complete! 🙂
same here! eggplant is not one of my favorite veggies until my husband said he likes it. i tried to cook it but never really get the texture right. your recipe might be the way to go
Thanks for your comment. Try and let me know how it goes 🙂 maybe don’t cook it too well. you may like it too.