Hassel-Back Aubergine
Sometimes, especially when you’re feeling a little ratty or out of sorts, you just want comfort food. We’ve all been there haven’t we? For me, I like piping hot flavorsome veggies stewed or roasted in delectable saucy scrumptiousness. So, what could be better than a few brinjals stuffed with garlic and tomatoes and baked in their own juices. Heaven, I promise you heaven if you have the patience to wait for this to bake - it takes time (although, there’s hardly no effort required in preparation)
Ingredients
_2 aubergines (eggplant, brinjal)
_4 to 5 ripe large tomatoes
_4 garlic cloves
_handful coriander
_10 cherry tomatoes
_ ½ tablespoon chilli flakes
_ ½ cup of water
_salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Dice the garlic, quarter the cherry tomatoes and dice coriander.
Grate the large tomatoes and combine with chilli flakes, water, salt and pepper.
Wash and slice the aubergines into 1cm slices in such a way that they are not cut all the way through (see images). Lightly salt the aubergines and let them stand to draw (15-20 minutes). Rinse the aubergines and allow to dry (5minutes).
Between each section of the aubergine, insert 2 cherry tomatoes and a little garlic. Use up all the cherry tomato quarters and garlic in this manner. Stuff the aubergines with half of the coriander. Grease a baking dish and lay the stuffed aubergines on their side. Cover each aubergine with the tomato sauce. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 50 to 60 minutes or until the aubergines are softened and “saucy”(Haha). Turn the aubergines every 15 minutes so that they soak up the sauce. Add the balance of the diced coriander 5 minutes before serving.
Serve as a veggie side, over mashed potato or with traditional South African pap (cornmeal)
Note, it’s imperative to cook the aubergines until they are fall-apart, melty if you really want to get the best out of this dish.
All images are mine. Shot using my iPad
The recipe was developed by me
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