Eggplant is one of the most popular vegetable crops in the world. Its historical homeland is India, where it has been known for over four thousand years. The peak of the eggplant season comes in August. There are varieties with white or striped skin, but the purple ones remain the most in demand. Eggplant is present in almost all world cuisines.
In our family, we often use it not only for various winter preparations but also for salads.
And with the following recipe, you can prepare a treat that would be a proud addition to any table, even on special occasions. If you serve it to your family on a regular day, it will easily acquire a festive atmosphere.
It’s simply amazing how such a delicious dish can be made with minimal ingredients, but the fact remains that this salad is just a stunning appetizer.
Salad Ingredients:
- 5 small eggplants
- 6 chicken eggs
- 4 small onions
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- Ground black pepper
- Sugar and salt to taste
- Vegetable oil
Marinade Ingredients:
- 5 tbsp 9% vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 130 ml water
Instructions:
Boil the eggs until hard-boiled, let them cool, peel, and finely chop.
Wash the eggplants, cut off the green stems, and dice them into small pieces. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes to remove any bitterness.
Slice the onions into thin half-rings. Combine water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to make a marinade. Pour the marinade over the onions and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Heat a skillet, add oil, and fry the eggplants until they turn golden brown. Keep them on the heat for no more than 7-8 minutes. Place the fried eggplants on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Transfer the eggplants to a salad bowl, add the marinated onions and chopped eggs. Season with black pepper, dress with mayonnaise, and mix well.
Refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes before serving. Then, it’s ready to be enjoyed.
This salad turns out so appetizing and extraordinary that you can even offer it to someone who generally doesn’t like eggplants. And when the person responds positively and admits that it was delicious, you can reveal the “secret” to them. They will likely be very surprised. After all, the eggplant in this appetizer resembles mushrooms more than anything else.
