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Turkish Eggplant and Yogurt

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Turkish
Servings: 2 -4
Author: Omnivore's Cookbook

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggplants
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt or strained plain yogurt
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons smashed fresh garlic from 2 large cloves
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • vegetable oil to fry eggplant

Instructions

  • Peel the eggplant partially, in a zebra stripe pattern, cut off and discard stems, halve the eggplants into shorter chunks, then cut each into 2 parts lengthways. Dissolve salt in a large bowl of water, add eggplant into salted water, and place a heavy lid on top (to keep eggplant submerged) for 1 hour. (refer to the cooking tips in post)
  • (option) If you use plain yogurt, strain it with several layers of cheesecloth or coffee filter, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Combine yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside to let spices blend into the yogurt.
  • Take eggplant out of salted water and squeeze out any extra water. Slice each piece into thinner strips, each about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) thick. If there's water on surface of eggplant, dry it with a paper towel.
  • Place 2 to 3 layers of paper towel on a plate and set aside.
  • Heat a nonstick skillet on medium high heat and add vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the skillet (refer to the cooking tips in post). When oil is hot, fry eggplant one side at a time until golden brown. If the skillet is not big enough, fry the eggplant in smaller batches. Place cooked eggplant on paper towel to soak up any extra oil. When eggplant has cooled down a bit but is still warm, discard paper towel.
  • Right before serving, pour yogurt mixture on top of eggplant.
  • Serve warm or cold as an appetizer or with bread.