Cucumber Blossom Fritter With Eggplant And Tahini Dipping Sauce Recipes

SPICY STIR-FRIED JAPANESE EGGPLANT AND CUCUMBER

Steps:

• Trim off the calyx end of the eggplants. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice thin (about 1/4 inch). Lightly salt, and toss in a colander. Allow to sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Squeeze out excess water, then dry between sheets of paper towel.
• Meanwhile, trim off the ends of the cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice on the diagonal into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt and sesame oil in a small bowl. Place all of the ingredients near your wok or frying pan.
• Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two from the surface of the pan. Add the peanut or canola oil to the sides of the pan and tilt the pan to distribute. Add the eggplant. Stir-fry for three to four minutes until cooked through. Add the ginger and red pepper flakes, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the cucumbers and scallions or chives. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok, and stir-fry one minute until the cucumber just begins to wilt. Remove from the heat and serve.

CREAMY TAHINI SAUCE, THREE WAYS

Steps:

• Make the Creamy Tahini Sauce:
• Sprinkle garlic with salt on a cutting board, then use the side of a knife to smash into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl. Add tahini and 1 cup warm water. Whisk until smooth. Add parsley, lemon juice, oil, and cayenne and whisk to combine.
• For the Creamy Tahini Dip with Avocado:
• Combine avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and 1/2 cup Creamy Tahini Sauce in a large bowl, then mash with a fork until smooth. For a smoother texture, purée in a blender.
• For the Creamy Tahini Dressing with Cucumber and Dill:
• Purée cucumber, buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, salt, and 1/2 cup Creamy Tahini Sauce in a blender until smooth. Add dill and pulse a few more times to combine.
• Do Ahead
• Creamy Tahini Sauce can be stored in an airtight container and chilled for up to 7 days.

MUTABAL (EGGPLANT-TAHINI DIP)

Steps:

• Cook the eggplants directly on the burner of a gas stove or in the oven. On a gas stove, sear the eggplants directly over a medium-high flame. Rotate every 5 minutes, until the globes are completely blackened, about 15 minutes total. Alternately, preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the eggplants on a sheet tray, poke them all over with the tines of a fork, rub them with the oil, and place the tray in the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the eggplants collapse in on themselves and the skins are blackened.
• Place the cooked eggplants in a bowl and seal the bowl with plastic wrap to let the eggplants steam in their own juices.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice and zest, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• When the eggplants have cooled enough to touch, split them lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp, discarding the skins and stems. For a milder flavor, scrape the seeds off the strands of pulp.
• Use a fork to mash the pulp into the tahini-garlic mix, creating a chunky dip. Adjust the salt to taste.
• When ready to serve, scoop the eggplant mixture onto a serving plate. Use a spoon to create a well in the center and drizzle in the oil, then garnish with the molasses, pomegranate seeds, and parsley.

SPICY EGGPLANT FRITTERS WITH YOGURT DIP

Steps:

• Yogurt Dip.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Fritters.
• Boil, steam or microwave eggplant until tender, drain, process eggplant until smooth.
• Transfer eggplant to a bowl, add remaining ingredients, except oil. mix well.
• Heat oil in a large pan, drop teaspoonfuls of mixture into hot oil, deep fry until browned and crisp, drain on absorbent paper.
• Serve fritters on serving plate accompanied with yogurt dip.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)-TAHINI DIP

Steps:

• Roast eggplant under the broiler, turning frequently, until the skin is charred and blistered.
• Peel away the skin, chop flesh roughly and drain in a colander for 30 minutes, and then press or blot to leak out as much liquid from the flesh as you can.
• Put eggplant flesh into blender, add tahini, garlic, almonds, lemon juice, cumin powder, salt and pepper.
• Transfer to serving bowl, fold in mint leaves and drizzle with olive oil.
• Goes well with pita crackers.