serves
6
prep
20 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
6
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
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The Dressy Dinner Party
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 25m
G
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 25m
G
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp salt, plus extra to season
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 3 large eggplants, peeled, cut into 1 cm discs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 5 tomatoes, finely chopped
- ½ red capsicum, finely chopped
- ½ green capsicum, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Dried mint, to garnish
- ½ tsp black pepper, to serve
- Afghan bread, to serve
For the dressing
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 cup fresh kashk/kishk (see Note)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 1 tbsp salt with the cumin and mix well to combine. Add the sliced eggplant to the bowl and toss well to coat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well to combine and season to taste with salt. Set aside until ready to serve.
- Heat the canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. In batches, cook the eggplant, turning occasionally, until golden-brown on both sides. Once fried, transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and repeat with remaining eggplant.
- Pour off all the oil, except for 4-5 tbsp and return the pan to the heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the tomatoes and capsicums to the pan and cook until softened. Stir through the garlic with a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until fragrant.
- Gently push the sauce to the outer edges of the pan, then layer some of the eggplant discs into the base of the pan. Spoon over some of the sauce, then stack another layer of eggplant on top. Continuing layering eggplant and sauce until all the eggplant is in the pan. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the Afghan eggplant from the heat, then gently transfer to a large serving platter, retaining the stacked shape of the eggplant and sauce.
- Pour the prepared kashk dressing over the eggplant. Sprinkle with dried mint and some freshly ground black pepper. Serve with Afghan bread on the side.
Note
- Kashk/kishk can be found in Lebanese grocers.
Photography by Jiwon Kim.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Stream free On Demand
The Dressy Dinner Party