Eggplant Yogurt Dip Recipes

ROASTED-EGGPLANT DIP WITH GREEK YOGURT

Steps:

• Using tongs, cook eggplants one at a time over the flame of a gas burner (or a grill), turning as skin chars and bubbles, until completely soft, about 15 minutes. (If eggplant doesn't soften, finish cooking on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven.) Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel off charred skin and discard. Coarsely chop the eggplants, and place in a colander to drain, about 1 hour. Finely chop, and transfer to a bowl.
• Using a chef's knife, press flat side of blade back and forth across garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to make a paste. Mix into eggplant. Stir in oil. Mix in yogurt and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. (Dip can be refrigerated, for up to 1 day.) Drizzle with oil before serving.

EGGPLANT-YOGURT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap garlic loosely in foil. Put garlic and eggplants on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until eggplants and garlic are soft and eggplant skins begin to blister and blacken, about 45 minutes. Remove garlic from oven.
• Raise oven temperature to broil, and broil eggplants until skins are charred, about 3 minutes.Transfer to wire racks, and let cool completely.
• Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion slices; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
• Whisk together chopped onion, yogurt, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Squeeze roasted-garlic pulp into yogurt mixture, and stir well.
• Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Scrape flesh into a large fine sieve set over a large bowl; let drain 15 minutes. Discard liquid. Stir eggplant and the salt into yogurt mixture; season with pepper. Top with reserved cooked onion.

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP WITH YOGURT AND MINT

Steps:

• Make a fire on one side of a charcoal grill. When the fire is hot, prick the eggplants all over with a fork, and place them on the hot side of the grill for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, to char the skin all over. Move the eggplants to the cool side of the grill, put on the lid, making sure the vents are open, and roast the eggplants for 40 to 45 minutes, until they collapse when you press on them, turning once halfway through. Transfer the eggplants to a platter and cut in half lengthwise, allowing any liquid to run out.
• With a slotted spoon, scoop the insides of the eggplants into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, discarding the skin and any excess liquid. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, mint, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the Sriracha, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pulse just five or six times to combine but not puree the ingredients. Taste for seasonings; it should be highly seasoned!
• Transfer to a shallow serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with extra mint and salt, and serve warm or at room temperature with pita triangles.

ROASTED EGGPLANT-YOGURT CHEESE DIP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400. Using a fork, prick eggplant in several places to keep it from bursting. Put on a baking sheet and roast on oven's center rack for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it can be easily pierced with a knife. Let eggplant cool until safe to handle
• Remove skin from eggplant and put flesh in a food processor along with olive oil, garlic, yogurt cheese, lemon juice, salt and cayenne. Pulse mixture until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 20 to 30 seconds. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with toasted pita chips or crudités.

EGGPLANT AND YOGURT SPREAD (BORANI-E BâDENJâN)

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler to high.
• Prick the eggplants in several places with the tip of a knife and place under the hot broiler. Broil for 30 to 40 minutes, turning them halfway through, until the skin is charred and the flesh is very soft. Halve the grilled eggplant lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh and place in a colander for about 20 minutes to drain off the excess liquid. Mash the eggplants.
• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute or so. Add the mashed eggplants and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat and let cool.
• Stir the strained yogurt into the cooled mixture. Transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle with the saffron water and sprinkle the chopped walnuts all over. Serve with the bread.

BORANIE BADEMJAN (PERSIAN EGGPLANT YOGURT DIP)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Prick eggplants all over with a fork and place on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven, turning frequently, until soft, about 40 minutes.
• Place eggplants on a cutting board and let stand until cool enough to handle, 8 to 10 minutes. Peel off skin and chop flesh.
• Combine eggplant flesh, 2/3 cup Greek yogurt, garlic, 4 teaspoons chopped mint, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix thoroughly. Spoon into a serving dish.
• Dissolve saffron in a small bowl of hot water; drizzle over eggplant mixture. Garnish with mint leaves and 1 teaspoon Greek yogurt.

EGGPLANT WITH YOGURT AND DILL

Steps:

• Toss 1 pound chopped eggplant, 3 unpeeled shallots and 3 unpeeled garlic cloves with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Add some walnuts; bake for 8 more minutes. Cool slightly, then squeeze the shallots and garlic from their skins and chop; toss with the eggplant, nuts, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, fresh dill and salt and pepper.

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Turn a gas burner on high and use tongs to place the eggplant directly on the burner. Char the eggplant, turning it once every minute or so, until it is evenly charred, black, and tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the flame and let cool in a strainer or colander set over a bowl. If you don't have a gas stove, poke holes in the eggplant with a fork and cook on a greased baking sheet in a 400°F oven until soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool.
• Pull off the charred eggplant skin and slice off the stem and discard. If you baked the eggplant, scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Coarsely chop the eggplant flesh.
• Combine the eggplant, garlic, lemon juice, and yogurt in the bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Add the parsley and pulse a few times. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Make this dish at least an hour before serving so the flavors can develop. Taste and season again just before serving. Place the dip in a serving bowl and sprinkle the paprika over the top. The dip lasts for 5 days refrigerated, but will need to be reseasoned with salt after sitting in the refrigerator.

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.

BORANIE BADEMJAN (PERSIAN EGGPLANT YOGURT DIP)

Steps:

• Rinse, prick the eggplants and roast in a 350F oven, turning frequently, for about 40 minutes, or until soft.
• Remove, place on a cutting board and let stand until cool enough to handle; peel the skin and chop the flesh.
• Transfer the flesh to a mixing bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly, seasoning to taste.
• In the serving dish, garnish with saffron water, yogurt and mint leaves and serve hot or cold with pita.
• Can be made in advance and stored in refrigerator.