How to cook dried eggplant at home is tasty and simple

Many people are familiar with the sun-dried tomato appetizer, it is considered a delicacy. There is already a place for her not only in the festive menu, but also in the everyday one. Eggplants are also dried, and savory snacks from them come to the taste of many gourmets.

It will be useful for any housewife to adopt the methods of drying eggplants at home, and culinary experimenters will be interested in simple and original recipes with them: in Korean, with honey, basil.

Why are dried eggplants good?

Eggplant has many health benefits... Pectin in their composition promotes the removal of toxins and toxins from the body, prevents the absorption of cholesterol, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Eggplant contains anthocyanins... They suppress destructive processes in brain cells, slow down the aging process of the body and protect a person from cancer. Due to its low calorie content, eggplants are used in dietary nutrition.

Dried they are used for treatment of gout, hypertension, to remove excess fluid from the body and prevent cardiovascular diseases. The beneficial properties of eggplant include reducing the risk of urolithiasis and cleansing the kidneys.

All the beneficial properties of these vegetables are preserved even when dried.... In addition, when dried, they take up less space. And in winter they can be soaked at any time and used as fresh.

How to dry eggplant at home

The first stage of cooking sun-dried vegetables at home is the choice of fruits... Late varieties are best suited for these purposes - fresh and ripe fruits without damage and rot with a glossy surface, a uniform purple color. Average size is optimal; large vegetables are not suitable for drying.

Attention! Most eggplant varieties have an unpleasant bitterness. Therefore, before cooking, the chopped vegetables are salted and left for 15-30 minutes to release the juice. The dark liquid is drained and the fruits are washed.

Slicing methods

For soups and salads, cut vegetables into strips... For stews or caviar - small cubes. In these cases, the vegetable is pre-peeled. Eggplants cut into slices are used as an appetizer in winter rolls. The dried halves are used to prepare stuffed dishes. For drying, the pulp is cut from each half, leaving a wall about 0.5 cm thick.

In the oven

Drying vegetables in the oven is the best option for most housewives, since not everyone has the opportunity to dry in the fresh air or purchase a special electrical device.

Ingredients:

• eggplant - 1 kg;
• oregano - 1 tsp;
• rosemary - 1 tsp;
• thyme - 1 tsp;
• spices (paprika and black pepper) - 1 tsp;
• olive oil - 50 ml.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 100 ° C and place vegetable slices on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with dried herbs and spices.
2. Leave in the oven for 4 hours.
3. Spread the finished snack in sterilized jars, add a little olive oil and close the lids. Store in the refrigerator.

Other ways to prepare eggplant:

How to dry eggplant for the winter at home correctly

How to freeze eggplant fresh for the winter

How to cook the most delicious eggplant caviar for the winter

In the dryer

It's even easier to cook dried vegetables in an electric dryer.You can turn on the appropriate mode and not worry that the appetizer will burn.

Ingredients:

• eggplant - 1 kg;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• spices to taste;
• vegetable oil - 50 ml.

Preparation:

1. Put prepared eggplants on trays in a dryer and leave for 3-4 hours at a temperature of 50 ° C. The time depends on the size of the vegetable pieces and how you cut them.
2. Pour some oil (preferably olive oil) on the bottom of a glass jar, add garlic, spices and fill it with vegetables.
3. Top up with more oil, close the lid and store in the refrigerator.

On open air

When drying in the open air, any number of vegetables is permissible - as much as space permits.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the eggplant - wash, remove the bitterness and pat dry.
2. Cut the stem off. Cut the pulp into thin strips.
3. Arrange the vegetables on a baking sheet or boards so that they do not touch each other. Cover the top with one layer of cheesecloth.
4. Choose an area protected from the sun and drafts and let the eggplants dry there.

Attention! The drying process itself will take 6-7 days. Turn vegetables periodically during this time to dry evenly.

How to check readiness

You can easily check the readiness of the sun-dried eggplant by clicking on the vegetable. If the eggplant is slightly bouncy, it's ready... The state of dried fruit is a cross between fried and dried.

How to store dried eggplant

Sun-dried eggplant stored in the refrigerator in glass containers, canvas or linen bags, in boxes made of thick cardboard. An ideal place to store any workpiece is a cellar or basement in your house, but a closed balcony is also suitable.

Terms and conditions of storage

At room temperature no higher than 28 ° C, dried eggplants can be stored for up to 3 months... In the refrigerator in glass containers, filled with vegetable oil, they do not deteriorate for about 5 months. If the snack has been cooked and canned, it can be stored in a dark, dry place at room temperature until the next harvest.

How to apply: the best recipes

Dried eggplants are eaten as an independent appetizer, added to casseroles, salads, stews and soups, and caviar is made. They go well with rice, meat, potatoes and other vegetables. Eggplant with oregano and olive oil is used in the preparation of pies, pizza, sandwiches.

Attention! Before cooking or frying, vegetables are soaked in warm water for 30–40 minutes.

If you want to surprise your guests or try something original and new, a selection of recipes is suitable for these purposes. A variety of preparations for every taste are obtained from eggplants - it all depends on spices, herbs and marinade.

In oil with garlic and basil

Traditional, simplest and most budgetary recipe. Vegetable oil acts as a preservative and gives the eggplant softness and rich taste.

Ingredients:

• eggplant - 0.8 kg;
• dried basil - 2 tsp;
• rosemary - 2 tsp;
• paprika - 1 tsp;
• allspice - 3-4 peas;
• ground chili - on the tip of a knife;
• salt - 1 tsp;
• vegetable oil.

Preparation:

1. Cut the peeled vegetables into 1 cm thick slices. Place them in a deep container, salt, stir and leave for 2 hours.
2. Place vegetables in a saucepan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
3. Mix all the spices and herbs.
4. Preheat oven to 120 ° C.
5. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Place the vegetable circles on it in one layer and sprinkle them with half of the herb and spice mixture.
6. Place the dish in the oven for 2-2.5 hours.
7. Put chopped garlic on the bottom of the prepared jar (0.3 L), add allspice and the remaining spices. Top with hot vegetables and cover with olive oil.

Store the snack in the refrigerator.

With honey

According to this recipe, the appetizer turns out to be fragrant and spicy in an oriental way.

Ingredients:

• eggplant - 1.5 kg;
• liquid honey - 70 g;
• cumin - 1 tsp;
• dry adjika - 1 tsp;
• apple cider vinegar - 60 ml;
• soy sauce - 60 ml;
• olive or vegetable oil - 50 ml.

Preparation:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.
2. Put the eggplants, peeled and cut into thin plates, in a deep container. Pour the cooked marinade on top and mix thoroughly.
3. Place the snack in the refrigerator overnight.
4. After a day, drain the marinade, squeeze the eggplant and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dry at 75 ° C for 2-3 hours. Leave the oven door ajar while doing this. The dish will be ready when the oil that has been absorbed into the fruit during the day comes out on their surface.

Mushroom-flavored eggplant

In taste and appearance, the eggplants prepared according to this recipe resemble forest mushrooms. It is better to select young fruits with a minimum number of seeds.

Preparation:

1. Cut the washed and peeled fruits into thin slices and put them on a thread.
2. Place the eggplants on a dry baking sheet and place in the oven at 160 ° C for 10 minutes.
3. Hang the cooled vegetables in a bunch to dry in a dry place. When they are completely dry, store them in canvas bags or glass jars.
4. Soak this drying in water for half an hour before frying. After that, eggplant can be stewed with spices, herbs and sour cream, like mushrooms.

It is interesting:

Do I need to peel eggplants and how to do it

Is eggplant possible for gastritis: the pros and cons

Dried in Korean

The recipe contains the usual combination of vegetables, but the taste of the appetizer itself is bright. Ready-made, dried eggplants in any way are suitable for cooking.

Ingredients:

• sun-dried eggplants - 50 g;
• onion - 1 pc .;
• bell pepper - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• soy sauce - 2 tbsp. l .;
• ground coriander;
• red wine vinegar - 2 tbsp l .;
• Korean carrots - 100 g;
• vegetable oil - for frying.

Preparation:

1. Pour boiling water over the sun-dried eggplant and leave for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan, add chopped garlic and coriander. Fry for 1 minute.
3. Add onion, cut into half rings, eggplant and pepper. Pass for 3-4 minutes.
4. Pour in soy sauce and wine vinegar. Stir, remove from heat and leave to cool.
5. Add Korean carrots to the dish and stir. Korean style salad with dried eggplant is ready. Optionally, before serving, you can season it with mayonnaise (preferably homemade).

Conclusion

Sun-dried eggplants retain a lot of nutrients that are present in fresh vegetables. In winter, such preparations strengthen the immune system and diversify the daily menu. After all, you can cook many different dishes from them, from soups to baked goods. Guests will be pleasantly surprised to taste this delicacy on the festive table.