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Grilled Eggplant with Yoghurt Sauce

This is adapted from a recipe by Karen Martini, a great Australian chef. Simple to make and so incredibly delicious. A "meaty" meat free dish for carnivores! I have noted where I strayed from the original recipe. This serves 3 to 4 as a light meal (accompanied with, for example, couscous), or 6 to 8 as a side.

Prep Time
8 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 3 - 4
Calories: 317 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Main Course

Ingredients

Grilled Eggplant
  • 3 large eggplants
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper
Yoghurt Sauce
  • 1 cup plain unsweetened yoghurt (Greek or natural)
  • 1 garlic clove , minced (Medium size. 1 large clove will make it too garlicky)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder (Note 1)
  • 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (use amount to taste) (Note 2)
  • 2 tbsp Tahini (sesame paste) (you can leave this out if you don't have it, it is still a tasty sauce)
  • 1/4 tsp salt , slightly heaped (about 3/8 tsp)
  • black pepper
Garnish
  • 1/2 pomegranate , seeds only (Note 3)
  • 2 tbsp mint leaves , finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp Coriander / cilantro leaves
  • red chilli , finely sliced (to taste) (Note 4)
  • Wedges or cheeks of lemon (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine the Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside for the flavours to develop. The longer you leave it, the better it will taste.
  2. Use a potato peeler to peel "strips" off the eggplant vertically as per the photo below. If your potato peeler is not sharp enough or if the eggplant is on the soft side, you might need to do this with a small sharp knife.
  3. Cut the eggplant into 1.5cm / 2/3" thick rounds.
  4. Brush one side of each eggplant with olive oil. The more you use, the yummier it will be!
  5. Sprinkle the oiled side of the eggplant with salt and pepper.
  6. Heat a griddle pan (or BBQ) on medium high heat. (Note 5)
  7. Place the oiled side of each eggplant onto the pan and grill for 2 to 3 minutes until it gets deep char lines on it. While the first side is cooking, brush the other side of each eggplant with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  8. Turn the eggplant and cook the other side until the eggplant is cooked through but still holding it's shape. The easy way to tell is to prod the centre - if you feel resistance, it needs to cook more.
  9. Remove the eggplant onto a serving plate and let it cool for a few minutes. Then spoon a dollop of the yoghurt sauce on each, and scatter with coriander/cilantro, mint, pomegranate seeds and chili. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve with cheeks or wedges of lemon, if desired.

Notes

  • The original recipe calls for 2 tsp of cumin seeds, toasted then ground. I took the easy way.
  • The original recipe called for the juice of 1 lemon. I found this far too sour (also, how much juice do you get out of 1 lemon??) so I reduced the quantity. You can adjust to your taste.
  • The easy way to remove the seeds from pomegranates is to hold it so the cut face is on your fingers, then "spank" the shell hard with a wooden spoon. The seeds will come popping out through your fingers. It's a very satisfying action!
  • The original recipe calls for 1/2 long green chili and 1/2 long red chilli, finely sliced. I did not have these on hand, I just had bird's eye chilli so I used that instead.
  • If the stove / BBQ is too hot, the eggplant will burn before it cooks through. And let's face it, uncooked eggplant is pretty horrid.
  • Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving 521g Calories 317cal (16%) Carbohydrates 34.1g (11%) Protein 9.2g (18%) Fat 18.3g (28%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 4mg (1%) Sodium 210mg (9%) Potassium 1196mg (34%) Fiber 15.6g (62%) Sugar 19.4g (39%) Vitamin A 150IU (3%) Vitamin C 18.2mg (20%) Calcium 190mg (19%) Iron 2.3mg (13%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3- 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories 317

% Daily Value*

Serving 521g
Calories 317cal 16%
Carbohydrates 34.1g 11%
Protein 9.2g 18%
Fat 18.3g 28%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 210mg 9%
Potassium 1196mg 25%
Fiber 15.6g 62%
Sugar 19.4g 39%
Vitamin A 150IU 3%
Vitamin C 18.2mg 20%
Calcium 190mg 19%
Iron 2.3mg 13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.