Brazilian Eggplant Salad

As Eid quickly approaches I'm forced to think of what to serve to family and friends. One of the first things that came to mind is this eggplant dish because it is simple yet impressive, and very versatile. You can make it an antipasto for a sit-down dinner served with crunchy Italian bread or serve at an informal lunch with friends as a sandwich filling on batbout (Moroccan Pita Bread – recipe to follow).

 

Afghan Eggplant (Buranee Banjan) with Mint and Garlic Yogurt Sauce

I know so many people who just won't share their recipes. While they won't admit to this crime, the email they promised with the prized recipe simply never reaches your inbox. Well, enough about these people.

I wanted to share something today about the opposite kind of people, those who are always happy to share a good recipe. I've never understood why someone wouldn't want to share such a thing unless of course they were making a living off of it. After all, it is always interesting to try a friend’s take on your recipe as often the dish never tastes quite the same as yours and it's both fun and interesting to note the differences. With that said, at times I have a hard time sharing recipes but not because I don’t want to (or I wouldn’t have a recipe blog), but because many times I simply don’t have an actual recipe to share - a lot of what I cook is simply in my head and not on paper. In fact, one of the hardest things for me with this blog is trying to slow down my cooking to measure stuff so that I can post here. At the end of the day, I'm a full-time Halal Mama of four kiddos and don't cook exclusively for the blog but rather include in the blog what I am feeding my family and friends.

Zaalouk (Eggplant Salad)

I love Morrocan tagines as much as a full-blooded local, but I must confess what I most enjoy during my meals in Morocco are the salads and side dishes. I've posted before about how much I like eggplant so naturally, Morrocan zalouk (eggplant salad) is one of my favorite salads/side dishes. This recipe comes directly from my mother-in-law’s kitchen and all measurements are approximate according to my observation. When my husband makes zalouk he roasts the eggplant, but I know some people who boil it in water. My mother-in-law steams hers and it turns out great. Zaalouk can be served warm or cold - I prefer mine at room temperature.

Eggplant Khoresh (Khoresh-e Bademjan)

My parents have been together for 47 years. My Persian father was working and living in Brazil when he met my Brazilian mother all those years ago. I grew up in Brazil and only visited Iran once. Even though I was very young at the time I still remember some things very clearly. My most vivid food memory of Iran was eating Kabab Koubideh at the local bazaar. I can still remember the fragrance and amazing taste of the Koubideh and the fluffy, saffron-steamed rice full of butter served with egg yolk on top. Perhaps this is where my obsession with rice began. My mother, being the amazing woman she is, helped bring a little of Iran back into our Brazilian home by frequently cooking my father's favorite Persian dishes.