Fatet Batenjan ~ فتت باذنجان is an eye-catching side dish that’s a must at every Ramadan table, though it’s just as good any other time of year. It’s so delicious I can never stop eating it. How can you go wrong with a combination of sweet, salty, sour, and crunch? Yum! I hope you give it a try.
Ingredients
- 1 globe eggplant rinsed and cubed
- 2 pita bread
- 1/4 cup raw almonds blanched and skin removed
- 3 heaping tablespoons Greek yogurt + 1 tbs
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 medium lemon juice only
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 1/8 cup water = 2 tablespoons
- Salt
- Oil for frying
- Cilantro, pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Start by placing your eggplant in a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt, set aside for 1 hour ( this proses will help pull out the water from the eggplant so it doesn’t it absorb too much oil when frying).
- Cut the pita bread into cubes and set aside, split the blanched almonds along the middle to separate in 2 and set aside.
- Now you are ready to start deep frying.
- Start by frying the pita bread until golden and place on a paper towel.
- Rinse the eggplant from the salt, squeeze between your hands to remove any excess moisture and place in the frying pan carefully ( be aware of the hot oil ), fry until golden and place on a paper towel.
- In the same oil fry the almonds stirring all the time as they will turn golden very quickly, and place on a paper towel.
- In bowl add yogurt, tahini, salt, garlic and lemon juice and whisk add the water and whisk. You should have a smooth dressing like sauce ~that’s where the extra yogurt spoon comes in play. I had just opened a new jar of tahini so the top is always runnier, so I had to use the extra tablespoon of yogurt~ trust your inner chef, and taste for salt.
- Now you are ready to assemble: start by pouring the sauce at the bottom of a plate reserving about 3 tablespoons, arrange the eggplant on top, then the pita bread, spoon the rest of the yogurt sauce garnish with cilantro and pomegranate seeds ( you can substitute with pomegranate molasses if you can’t find any, but the seeds are the best). You are ready to enjoy!