Grilled Eggplant salad...


This salad looks and sounds like a mediterranian influence. And it is.

Just that I used my own herbs. Fresh from the garden. Nothing beats the refreshing punch they dress up a dish with.

Any roasted Aubergine recipe is welcomed at our table. Without conflict of any sort. This one uses grilled slices of Baingan, call it Aubergine, Egg plant or Brinjal, the best of this dark beauty comes when it is charred a little bit.

Then go on dressing the pulpy buttery flesh with just about anything you fancy at the time. Works for me. The roasted pulp of an eggplant is like a blank canvas and you can add your flavor of the day to it.

My flavor of the day this time was some yogurt, some nuts and a rich infusion of Dill and Thai Basil.

Pan grilled slices of Egg plant. Bite sized slices would help. I used larger round Brinjals from local markets as I find these the best flavored. Those smaller Japanese ones are just not enough buttery when grilled.

Arranged the grilled slices in a deep dish. I grilled the slices in a greased pan. If making a larger quantity grilling them in an oven will be more convenient.


And then one by one the thick whisked yogurt, chopped nuts, Pomegranate seeds, torn Basil and Dill greens. 

The Dill in my garden has gone for flowering so the flowers also adorn this salad. Yummy they are, and the most fragrant.



ingredient list...

Brinjal sliced approximately 250 gm 
(I used half of a huge brinjal, sliced, salted and grilled with a brushing of oil in a pan )
a cup of thick creamy yogurt , whisked
3-4 tbsp or pomegranate seeds
3-4 tbsp of freshly toasted chopped mixed nuts ( I used sunflower seeds, almonds and pine nuts)
salt and pepper to taste
Dill greens and Thai Basil torn to pieces about 1/2 cup
a sprinkling of red chilly powder




Yes, my spice of the day turned out to be the red chilly powder at the last moment.

It is a well loved salad for us and has entertained many guests too with applauds.

Those who abhor Brinjals hesitate first, as if it is mandatory for them to not look at Brinjals, and then follow others in getting second and third servings.

I love this salad as a meal too. As a side dish, this will be the first dish to be polished off. Serve any which way you like. In a sandwich if you make it using Greek yogurt or hung curd.

I want to try this with grilled Zucchini too. Any one who has tried such a salad with Zucchini?

Or any other grilled to squishy vegetable? Please do let me know.

Comments

  1. Like the softness of brinjal and crunchiness of almond.. love it simply.

    ReplyDelete
  2. very interesting salad!!

    ;ets see if i can find dill...

    http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi,

    I have recently started reading your blog and enjoy the balance of taste and health.

    I love that you use fresh herbs (basil, dill, etc.) and somewhat exotic vegetables
    (celery, broccoli, etc.) in your recipes. We do get these vegetables in some supermarkets,
    but they can be quite, quite expensive here. I realized that you grow your own vegetables
    and was wondering if you would share some gardening tips on growing these vegetables
    in a future post sometime? I live in Mumbai and have a small balcony to grow stuff.
    It gets a lot of sunlight throughout the year and all the lashing of the rain during
    the four months of the monsoon :) But I would like to grow these vegetables.

    Many thanks.

    -Deb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Deb.
      You should grow all the herbs you need as a fresh supply of herbs any time you wish is a huge luxury to have. There is no special skill required,just get the seeds, some potting mixture and a few pots to get started. Most herbs grow easily and the basil would be your friend for ever :-)
      Marjoram, Oregano etc you can get from nurseries too. Others can be grown from seeds.
      Good luck. Would like to know if you start a balcony garden :-)

      Delete
  4. Thanks Sangeeta! Will definitely write if I manage to grow some herbs successfully. -Deb

    ReplyDelete

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