East African Eggplant Stew Recipes

EAST AFRICAN EGGPLANT STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan. cook the onions until soft and golden. Add the eggplant and continue cooking.
• Add the potatoes. Cook on high heat for several minutes until the eggplant starts to soften, lose volume and shrink in size. Keep stirring to ensure even cooking.
• Add the crushed garlic to the pan along with curry powder, cayenne pepper and salt. Stir all ingredients thoroughly.
• Then add the can of tomatoes, tomatoe paste and water. Mix well.
• Turn down the heat and simer the juices to let the full flavour come out, while stirring occasionally. After about 20 minutes the mixturewill have dried out indicating it is almost ready. Using a fork, prod the potatoes and when they are very soft the dish is ready. If they are not add just the tiniest amount of water.
• Serve with rice.

PERSIAN EGGPLANT STEW

Steps:

• Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over eggplant.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook eggplants until soft and browned, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in stew meat, beef bouillon, cumin, and saffron; cook meat until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste until well mixed.
• Pour water and tomato sauce into the saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half, about 2 hours 20 minutes. Stir in eggplants. Cook until heated through, about 10 minutes.

LEBANESE EGGPLANT STEW

Steps:

• Combine the eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic in the slow cooker insert.
• Using an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns, allspice berries, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes to a powder.
• Add the spices to the vegetables, cover, and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Stir in the olive oil and parsley, and add salt to taste just before serving.
• Suggested Beverage
• I think I'd choose a Merlot or Cabernet to accompany this dish.

KURDISH LAMB & EGGPLANT STEW WITH SUMAC (MEFTUNA BACANAN)

Steps:

• Put the sumac in a pot and pour the boiling water over and set aside for at least 15-20 minutes, until the water turns to pink color.
• Season the lamb with 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. In a heavy pan or a casserole dish, fry the butter and add the lamb cubes. On a high heat, brown them for about 10 minutes, stirring them around every now and then.
• Meanwhile part peel the eggplants in lines diagonally and de-seed the peppers. Cut the eggplants and peppers into big chunks and roughly chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Put all the vegetables together in a bowl, sprinkle over the remaining salt, ground black pepper and chili flakes and mix them all and set aside.
• Add the flour in to the pot with sumac juice in and whisk it well together, ensuring there are not any lumps.
• When the lamb is brown, add in the vegetables and press them down in the pan. Pour over the sumac water (which should just cover the vegetables, add more if needed). Scatter around the chilled butter cubes and put the lid on. On a very low heat (the smallest ring is the best) let it simmer for 1 hour. Try not to lift the lid at all until it is cooked.
• After an hour turn off the heat and let it rest for 15 minutes or so. Serve it with a quarter teaspoon of crushed garlic for each serve. The best is to stir the garlic in, which makes the eggplants melt in the dish!