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Diwali Tandoori Eggplant

  • Author: Kathy Gori

Description

This is so easy and quick that I know it’s going to be a tandoor staple around here since I have so many eggplants. You can serve this with any meal, American or Indian cuisine. It’s a great addition to any sort of BBQ, and if you want to make a total tandoori meal, add more veg dishes, rice, and chapattis for a vegetarian meal. This is also the perfect veg side dish that compliments any entree meat or fish. I think it goes great with tandoori chicken, cucumber and dal salad, and chapattis.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 Japanese eggplants,  cut into 1 and 1/2 inch wedges.
  • 1 Tbs of vinegar… but NOT Red Wine Vinegar. This recipe calls for something different. I’d recommend, Malt Vinegar, Coconut Vinegar, Banana Vinegar, or what I used…. Pineapple Vinegar from Steve Sando at Rancho Gordo
  • 1 cup of thick Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbs tomato paste
  • 1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 and 1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
  • 1 red onion cut into thin slices
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • fresh mint leaves
  • lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Cut the  eggplants into 1 and 1/2 inch chunks. Place them in a bowl, sprinkle with 2 Tbs of salt and let the eggplant sit int the salt for 1 and 12 hours. this removes any bitterness from the eggplant.
  2. After it’s salt nap, take the eggplant chunks and rinse the salt off thoroughly.
  3. Pat the eggplant pieces dry and let them set a bit while you mix up the marinade.
  4. Mix up your vinegar…
  5. Add tomato paste, ginger, turmeric, paprika and oil.
  6. Blend all of it into the yogurt.
  7. Brush your skewers with oil and thread the eggplant pieces on to the skewers.
  8. Light your tandoor, you want the heat hot hot hot for cooking these. They cook very quickly. The Hōmdoor Tandoor gets super hot quite fast. If you’re using a regular BBQ you want to light it up about now.
  9. While your fire is getting to the right temperature, time to pickle the onions.
  10. Take your red onion rings and place them in a bowl with the white wine vinegar,  sugar, and 1 tsp of salt. Stir everything around and let the onion slices cure while you are cooking.
  11. When your Tandoor, or grill is at about 400 degrees F, time to get cooking.
  12. Baste the eggplant chunks with the yogurt marinade and angle the skewers into your tandoor oven, or place them on the grill. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Rotate the skewers so they cook evenly on all sides.
  13. After about 5 minutes or so check them if you’re using a tandoor oven.. these things cook FAST. On a regular BBQ grill it might take between 10 and 20 minutes. There’s no set time, it depends on the heat of your fire. When they’re cooked through and nicely charred, take the eggplant out of the tandoor.
  14. Get ready to serve it up! Slide the eggplant chunks off the skewer and serve them with the pickled red onion slices, and a scattering of fresh mint. Squeeze a lime wedge over the eggplant and you are good to go!!!

Find it online: https://www.homdoor.com/diwali-tandoori-eggplant/