Getting ready for a weekend celebration or the big game Sunday? This is a great recipe that uses in-season eggplant and makes your mouth sing! We used scallions and tomatoes from the garden, along with fresh local garlic, ginger (unfortunately we can’t get that locally) and gluten free soy sauce. The longest part of this recipe is roasting the eggplant, so plan ahead. You can make this dip a few days in advance, or do it in stages. It’s not only great on crackers and chips, but is great as a left over as a sauce on top of pasta or rice.
Below is one of our eggplants. It’s so beautiful, isn’t it?
I love roasting eggplant (plus it helps when you have no more strength to cook up another eggplant dish!). Cooking eggplant in this manner requires no added oil, and creates a creamy, warm version of the otherwise, meaty veggie. It’s easy to roast, just allow an hour for the hands-off cooking process. Eggplant is in-season right now. You can roast and freeze the inside flesh, so that you can have it to add to dishes throughout the year.
Ingredients:
- 2- 1 1/4# eggplants (medium sized)
- 3/4 cup of minced scallions, plus some for garnish
- 2 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp chili garlic paste
- 2 tbsp tamari, or gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-1 1/2 cups chopped tomato, or 1 cup drained whole canned tomatoes (if your tomatoes are watery, use 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup basil, chiffonade/ribbon cut (if you don’t have basil, you can up the parsley)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- *optional-1 tsp of sesame oil
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425. Place eggplant on a baking sheet and pierce in several locations with a knife. Roast for about an hour, or until skins start to shrivel and change shape
- Cut the eggplant open lengthwise and scoop out the inside flesh. Set into a colander and let drain for about 30 minutes.
- Transfer eggplant to food processor and puree until smooth
- Saute scallions, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, chili sauce, and soy sauce, until scallions have softened slightly
- Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, and eggplant, and cook for about 2 minutes
- Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, parsley, and basil. Season with salt/pepper to taste. If desired, can drizzle 1 tsp of sesame oil on top
- Garnish with additional scallions and fresh parsley and serve with crackers as a dip or on top of rice as a meal.
Nutritional Benefits:
- Plant based & gluten free-reduced inflammation in body
- High in fiber-helps with digestive health, maintains blood sugar, reduces risk of many forms of cancer, increases satiety
- Good source of Vitamin C-boosts immunity and decreases inflammation
- No added oils
- Low calorie and glycemic food, good for diabetics
- 2 1¼# eggplants (medium sized)
- ¾ cup of minced scallions, plus some for garnish
- 2½ tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp chili garlic paste
- 2 tbsp tamari, or gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-1½ cups chopped tomato (if your tomatoes are watery, use 1 cup)
- ½ cup basil, chiffonade/ribbon cut (if you don't have basil, you can up the parsley)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- *optional-1 tsp sesame oil
- Preheat oven to 425. Place eggplant on a baking sheet and pierce in several locations with a knife. Roast for about an hour, or until skins start to shrivel and change shape
- Cut the eggplant open lengthwise and scoop out the inside flesh. Set into a colander and let drain for about 30 minutes.
- Transfer eggplant to food processor and puree until smooth
- Saute scallions, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, chili sauce, and soy sauce, until scallions have softened slightly
- Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, and eggplant, and cook for about 2 minutes
- Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, parsley, and basil. Season with salt/pepper to taste. If desired, can drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil
- Garnish with additional scallions and fresh parsley and serve with crackers as a dip or on top of rice as a meal.
