Crispy Fried Eggplant With Homemade Harissa

This is a wonderful vegan eggplant dish to enjoy with family and friends- it is surprisingly easy and filling! Each slice of thick eggplant is creamy and crunchy, packed with a mediterranean flavour that will have you coming back for more- and more.

Growing up on the Pacific island of Kauai, eggplant was NOT a staple in my diet. In anyones diet! Then I travelled to the Middle East- and met The Eggplant. In a pita bread. Served with hummus and shwarma and French fries(called “chips” here) AND pickles. I was shocked speechless that so many foods could come together in one meal- and raised my sceptical eyebrows the first time my mother ordered one of these…things. She couldn’t seriously be planning on eating all of those random foods together in the same bite?! Well of course I had to try it, and that was that. Basically Tel Aviv and “Welcome to Israel!” in a food- and it was delicious.

We ended up moving here to the Middle East, me first and then my mother, and I have smartly adopted the ways of the land. There is just no point searching for certain things- like Heinz ketchup and marshmallows that aren’t strawberry flavoured- and it just makes sense to cook with the native spices, and eat the native food.

Eggplant has a fond place in my heart now. It is a hearty and wonderful vegetable, that can be a side or a dip or a main. Eggplant is amazing drizzled with tahini, smeared with Harissa, and whipped with date honey and lemon juice. This is our current favourite way to prepare eggplant!

Love Middle Eastern flavours? Try these:

Spicy Moroccan fish Ktzitzot

Moroccan kebabs with special spice

Moroccan salmon with Fire Roasted Peppers

I love that this eggplant dish is vegetarian and vegan, meaning I can serve it to whoever comes through my door. Instead of a dip in egg to hold the panko, we will be making a quick “glue” with cornstarch and water. This doubles as an extra coating and once fried, the result is so so so crunchy and crispy!

You want a really hearty, meaty bite, and to get that you got to slice em thick! I get about 5 long slices from one eggplant. You can peel the eggplant first, depending on your preference, but I like the skin and we leave it on. After slicing the eggplant lengthwise- we salt it.

“Sweating” is a process where- wait it is so simple- you sprinkle salt over the eggplant slices to draw out the water in the vegetable. After about 30 minutes, you will see water actually pooling around the eggplant, it’s pretty cool!

why should you bother?

#1 salting the eggplant tenderises the texture of the flesh

#2 once the eggplant “sweats”, the vegetable firms up, and it doesn’t soak up as much oil when frying. it’s the best way to get a non-greasy eggplant!

This is such an easy recipe that looks and tastes anything but(aka a winner). Make sure to whip up some of this beautiful red Harissa paste while you’re eggplants “sweat”, and you will have a meal ready in no time!

Make your own Homemade Harissa(spicy chili paste) here.

Hope you love these Crispy Fried Eggplants like we do!

Remember to leave a review in the comment section below- I love hearing what recipes are your favourites and what is the “matzav” in your kitchen

Lots of love, Estee