I used to have a hard time with eggplants. I was never sure what to do with them. Other than ratatoille and eggplant Parmesan, I suppose. I do like those. This might be better. There's a Afghan restaurant in Charlottesville that Mike and I go to for their excellent lunch buffet. It's called the Afghan Kebab Palace. They always seem to have this dish out. I tried it and fell in love. I looked up recipes online and only found two that seemed close. This is my version. Instead of frying the eggplant, which I tried and found difficult since eggplant seems to love to suck up oil, I opted to brush the eggplant with olive oil and broil, which seems a much easier option. This dish does have a lot of oil in anyway though, but that's how it's supposed to be.
If you like, you can halve the recipe since this makes a 9 x 13 inch pan worth. But it's so good, leftover too. Just be sure to wait to add the yogurt to the whole batch so you can reheat the eggplant part of the dip before serving.
Borani Bademjan - Persian/Afghan Eggplant with Tomato and Yogurt
1 cup Greek yogurt
3 cloves minced garlic, one kept separate
2 large eggplants, sliced into about a 1/2 inch thick rounds
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil for brushing eggplant (or more if needed), plus 1 Tbsp
1 28 oz can tomatoes, crushed or chopped - or - 3 or 4 tomatoes (peeled if desired and chopped)
1 Tbsp dried mint (or 2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Immediately, mix the yogurt with the separate one clove minced garlic and set aside to to let meld in fridge.
Brush the eggplant slices on each side with extra virgin olive oil and place on a baking sheet (or two if needed). Broil on high for 5 minutes or until golden on top, then flip and broil another 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, checking frequently to avoid burning and removing finished ones as needed.
Once all the eggplant has been cooked, set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a skillet heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until soft. Add the 2 remaining cloves minced garlic and cook 1 minute or so. Stir in the spices except mint. Cook briefly, about a minute, then add the crushed or chopped tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened somewhat, 5 - 10 minutes. Stir in mint and remove from heat.
Place the eggplant slices in a glass or ceramic baking dish in several layers. I use a 9 x 13 inch pyrex caserole dish. Pour over the tomato mixture and spread to cover the eggplant. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until the eggplant slices break apart when stirred gently. It can take longer. Remove from the oven, let cool some, stir to break it up into a dip consistency, and transfer to a serving bowl if desired. Then swirl in the yogurt and serve while it is still warm (do not mix all the way). Or you can wait and add the yogurt later if you plan to reheat the dip.
Serve with rice or pita, lavash, or other bread or chips, and any other Afghan or Persian fare.
