How to cook eggplant?

I bought an eggplant today. As well as a coconut. Anyone have a simple way to cook eggplant? Also, what could i use the coconut to create?



:o

Eggplant can be marinated and grilled. You can make a sauce out of garlic, onion, chopped eggplant and tomato for pasta. I also add capers, olives and herbs (fresh). The eggplant should take about 20-30 minutes to cook on top of the stove.
I also make eggplant parmezan by slicing about 1/4 inch thick pieces and broiling on both sides about 5 minutes. Then top with tomato sauce (or marinara sauce), vegan cheese or vegan riccotta, cover and cook at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Ooohhh, I love eggplant stew. It's actually a Persian dish so its supposed to be served over rice, but I prefer it by itself with a couple of pieces of toasted garlic bread.

3 asian eggplants, unpeeled, cut into quarters
4 Tbs vege oil
12 oz extra firm tofu (or "tofu steak) cut into strips or chunks
rinsed and thoroughly patted dry
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
28oz can tomatoes (stewed or crushed)
2 c. vege stock
2 tsp turmeric (optional)
cilantro, parsley, salt&pepper to taste

Heat 3 Tbs oil med heat in lg skillet, dutch oven or pot. Saute eggplant 8 minutes until brown. Remove eggplant from pan.
Add 1 Tbs oil to pot med high heat 30 seconds. Add tofu, potatoes, onion. Saute 5 min until onions browned.
Add garlic, tomatoes, turmeric, cilantro, parsley, S&P. Stir well.
Add veggie stock to pot.
Reduce heat to low. Place eggplant on top of other ingredients in the pot.
Cover. Cook 25 min until potatoes are tender. Uncover, cook 5 more min. Serve hot. Yum.

I slice my eggplant up on aluminum foil, throw it in the oven for 20 mins at 425 degrees. Take it out pile the slices up in the middle, fold the aluminum into a little packet. Throw the packet in the oven for another 5-10 minutes take it out and let them steam a little in the foil. And VOILA , oven roasted eggplant!

ill sometimes make an eggplant curry dish...with garlic and lots o spicey curry! (yumm)

or else ill do the eggplant parmesan like diane described...

last week i put some on the grill with a marinade that i had made for a tofu dish i had a few days before....mmm...and mushrooms and onions...and mmmm :o

sometimes when the eggplants start to not be so fresh ill even *gasp* make fried eggplant :eek:

I hope the farmer's market has eggplant today..........

Hello, TheAshleyBeyer, and welcome to the forum. I just found a site which has aubergine recipes. This is the name that we use on this side of the Atlantic.

http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/aubergine.html

Regards,

Martin.

Coconut ideas.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._21719,00.html

http://vegetarian.allrecipes.com/az/CcntLntilSp.asp

The Moosewood Collective writes that this is "a golden opportunity for date enthusiasts to sink their teeth into the pure ecstasy of these luscious vegan treats. Serve with strong coffee or hot spearmint tea."
INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups pitted, chopped dates
1/2 cup soy margarine or vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinc of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup rolled oats*
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange peal
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
PREPARATION:

* With a food processor, use regular rolled oats; by hand, use quick-cooking oats.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil an 8-inch-square glass baking pan.

Spread the walnuts on an unoiled baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

Set aside. Meanwhile, combine the dates adn 3/4 cup of water in a small heavy saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the dates are soft.

While the dates cook, blend the margarine or oil and the brown sugar ina mixing bowl or food processor. Sift the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and baking powder into the bowl, add the oats, and mix or pulse until blended. Stir in the walnuts. The dough will be crumbly. Firmly pat about two-thirds of the dough into the baking pan to make a thin bottom crust.

Stir the orange peel, orange juice, and coconut into the cooked dates. Spread the date mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the date layer as a topping.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the topping is golden and dark brown around the edges. Cool the bars for 30 minutes before cutting into 16 squares. In a sealed container, they will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 16 bars

http://www.colba.net/~ajstrong/ba_ganou.htm

Quote:

---

Vegan
Preparation: 40 minutes plus 3 hours chillling
Serves 12

1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. tahini
2 T sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 T olive oil


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork.
Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft.
Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water.
Remove from water, and peel skin off.
Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender or food processor and puree.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl.
Slowly mix in olive oil.
Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
Serve with toasted pita bread.

---

Hint 1: You don't really need to chill it.
Hint 2: If you use 175C instead of 200C, it becomes a little more tasty.
Hint 3: You don't need to preheat the oven.
Hint 4: It's easier to peel the inside of the eggplant out of the skin with a spoon than to peel the skin off.
Hint 5: You don't need the pita bread
Hint 6: You can skip the sesame seeds, because tahini is made out of sesame seeds
Hint 7: You can skip step 9 if you include the olive oil in step 6

It's very good with less garlic too.

Two other baba ganoush recipes:
http://www.interlog.com/~john13/reci...a_ghannouj.htm
http://www.ziyad.com/recipes/baba_ganoush_recipe.htm

I slice up an eggplant cover each slice with flour and shallow fry in olive oil. Yum! I have a curry recipe in my of my cookbooks which has eggplant in it. I'll post it on here soon.

Tofu-stuffed-eggplant

3 medium eggplants
2 cups minced onion
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup lowfat tofu, cubed
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 8 oz can marinara sauce

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the
insides, leaving a 1/2 inch shell. Chop the eggplant scooping into small
cubes.
Saute the peppers, mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a large skillet with
a few tablespoons of water over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the
chopped eggplant, and cook until the eggplant is tender (about 10 minutes). Add the
tofu, and cook about 5 minutes more. Transfer all the ingredients to a large
bowl.
Add the rice into the mixture, and mix together. Add salt and pepper to
taste if you wish.
4. Preheat the oven at 375. Fill the eggplant shells. Bake in the oven for
30-40 minutes. Serve hot. Top with marinara sauce.

I use it like this:

Fry a sliced onion and a sliced pepper for about 3 minutes
Add chopped egg plant and fry for about 3 minutes
Add chopped mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes
Add some cooked beans if desired.
Add some kind of sauce (chinese, pasta sauce, curry sauce, whatever)
Simmer for 5-10 minutes

Serve with appropriate option from rice, noodles, pasta, chips.

I often use zucchini instead of egg plant, but the end result is similar.