Fried aubergines with date syrup and zhoug
by
- Side
- Easy
- 4
- 60 minutes
PT1H
This deliciously simple Middle Eastern aubergine recipe from the team at London restaurant Bubala combines fried aubergine slices with sweet date syrup and a fiery, verdant zhoug, a herby sauce from Yemen. Perfect as part of a Middle Eastern mezze platter, this dish is also naturally vegan.
For more recipes from Helen and to learn more about Bubala, take a look at our feature.
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 1 tbsp of Maldon salt
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 50ml of date syrup
Zhoug
- 3 garlic cloves , peeled
- 3 green chillies
- 1 bunch of coriander , roughly chopped
- 300ml of rapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp of hawaij spice mix, available from Middle Eastern stores
- 25ml of lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Maldon salt
Method
1
Cut the aubergines into 2cm-thick discs and place in a bowl with the salt. Toss until well combined, then set aside for 45 minutes to draw out the liquid
2
Meanwhile, make the zhoug. Place the garlic and chilli in a blender and blitz until very finely chopped. Add the coriander and blitz again, then add the oil in two batches, pulsing as you go. You want the sauce to be combined but not fully emulsified. Season the zhoug with the lemon juice, hawaij spices and salt. Set aside until ready to serve
3
Once the aubergines have been salted for 45 minutes, rinse and squeeze out any remaining moisture. Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan until it is 3 inches deep and bring to 180°C. Deep-fry the aubergine slices in batches until golden (which should take around 3-4 minutes), then drain on kitchen paper
4
To serve, arrange slices of aubergine on a plate and spoon over a generous amount of the zhoug. Finish with a drizzle of date syrup and serve hot
Discover more:
Go to Comments
Fried aubergines with date syrup and zhoug
