Fried aubergines with date syrup and zhoug

5.00

This deliciously simple Middle Eastern aubergine recipe from the team at London restaurant Bubala combines fried aubergine slices with sweet date syrup and a fiery, verdant zhoug, a herby sauce from Yemen. Perfect as part of a Middle Eastern mezze platter, this dish is also naturally vegan.

For more recipes from Helen and to learn more about Bubala, take a look at our feature.

First published in 2020
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Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Zhoug

Method

1
Cut the aubergines into 2cm-thick discs and place in a bowl with the salt. Toss until well combined, then set aside for 45 minutes to draw out the liquid
2
Meanwhile, make the zhoug. Place the garlic and chilli in a blender and blitz until very finely chopped. Add the coriander and blitz again, then add the oil in two batches, pulsing as you go. You want the sauce to be combined but not fully emulsified. Season the zhoug with the lemon juice, hawaij spices and salt. Set aside until ready to serve
3
Once the aubergines have been salted for 45 minutes, rinse and squeeze out any remaining moisture. Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan until it is 3 inches deep and bring to 180°C. Deep-fry the aubergine slices in batches until golden (which should take around 3-4 minutes), then drain on kitchen paper
4
To serve, arrange slices of aubergine on a plate and spoon over a generous amount of the zhoug. Finish with a drizzle of date syrup and serve hot
First published in 2020
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Following time spent working in kitchens including The Palomar and The Barbary, Helen Graham joined forces with Marc Summers to launch Middle Eastern vegetarian concept Bubala, where she spent five years as executive chef before leaving to pursue her own solo projects.

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