Aubergine aka eggplants might not be on your shopping list very often. If you do like to have aubergine/eggplants next time try this amazing looking recipe the Aubergine Meatball Kebab or alternatively call it Eggplant Kofte Kebab.
It not a big deal to prepare it and well worth the effort. The dish reminds me the ratatouille recipe and has a similar method of lining up.
Start with making the meatballs. The meatballs in this recipe is different than the usual meatballs aka kofte that I prepare, they do not need breadcrumbs and can do with just salt and pepper as spices and nothing else. I chose to add more spices and and an onion and several garlic cloves. Just place all the kofte ingredients in a bowl and knead until the meatball dough becomes stringy, for at least 5 minutes. Let rest in the fridge while you move on to the next step.
What are the benefits of eating eggplants?
It is a pity eggplants are ignored by so many people. They are a great source of vitamins such as C,K, B6 and minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, folic acid and many more. They help your digestion, heart health, bones and brain.
Besides the health benefits there are so many different plates you can prepare from eggplants from desserts to jams. You can fry, roast and bake them.
How do you pick a good eggplant?
To begin with the eggplant should be in season, although available in stores all most all the year, the actual season of eggplants is during late summer and mid autumn (I did not name seasons on purpose, as they are different in different places). Pick ones that are firm, shiny and feel heavy. The stem should be green and stiff. Depending on what you will use the eggplant for pick ones that are not too large or fat to avoid too many seeds. For this recipe choose straight ones and not with a bend in the middle.
Preparing the eggplant:
This recipe requires only one eggplant. You need to cut off and discard the stem first and then cut vertically into half and finally cut thick slices of each half. Slices should be about 7 mm (a bit thicker than ¼ inch). When cut into slices do not toss them around and preserve the sequence. There is no need to peel. If you were to fry I always suggest to peel in stripes, but not needed this time.
Also chop to large pieces a pepper and a few tomatoes. Also prepare a bowl with tomato paste and seasonings to pour on top.
Then take out the meatballs from the fridge and start placing meatballs between eggplant slices. Make sure to size them according to the size of the eggplant slices.
Once the lining up of eggplant slices and the meatballs is finished pour on top the tomato paste mixture. Adjust the amount of water according to the size of your baking tray. The mixture should cover the bottom. Then bake in a bottom and top heated oven at 200° Celsius (375°F) for about 50 minutes.
When ready enjoy with some rice pilaf and a tomato salad.
Eggplant Meatball Kebab
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 1-2 tomatoes chopped to quarters
- 1 pepper chopped to large pieces
Meatball
- 400 grams ground beef
- 1 onion small, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon veggie mix seasoning
- ½ teaspoon thyme
Baking Liquid Mixture
- 200+/- millilitres water
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon thyme flakes
- ½ teaspoon mint flakes
Instructions
- First prepare the meatball mix. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and knead until stringy, for about 5-10 minutes. Keep in the fridge until shaping. You can add more or less spices if you choose to.
- Cut off and discard the stem of the eggplant. Cut vertically into half and then cut to about 7 mm ( a little over ¼ inch) thick slices. Do not loose the sequence of the slices.
- Then keeping the sequence of the slices place some meatball mix between each slice and place in a baking dish. Until all the material is finished.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and peppers on the sides.
- Mix the baking liquid mixture ingredients in a bowl and pour slowly on top of the eggplant and meatballs that are lined up.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200° Celsius (375°F) until the eggplants are ready. It will take about 50 minutes.
- Half way through the baking take out the tray and using a spoon pour some of the stock on top of the meatballs to make sure they keep moist. Check, poking the smallest slices near the end, as that part cooks latest.
- Let cool down for couple of minutes and serve.