How to cook dried eggplants at home, tasty and simple

Many people are familiar with the sun-dried tomato snack; it is considered a delicacy. There is already a place for it not only in the holiday menu, but also in the everyday menu. Eggplants are also dried, and many gourmets enjoy savory snacks made from them.

It will be useful for every housewife to adopt methods for drying eggplants at home, and culinary experimenters will be interested in simple and original recipes using them: in Korean, with honey, basil.

What are the benefits of dried eggplants?

Eggplants have many beneficial properties. Pectin in their composition helps remove waste and toxins from the body, prevents the absorption of cholesterol, and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Eggplants contain anthocyanins. They suppress destructive processes in brain cells, slow down the aging process of the body and protect a person from cancer. Due to their low calorie content, eggplants are used in dietary nutrition.

Dried, they are used for treatment of gout, hypertension, to remove excess fluid from the body and prevent cardiovascular diseases. The beneficial properties of eggplants include reducing the risk of urolithiasis and cleansing the kidneys.

All the beneficial properties of these vegetables are preserved when dried.. In addition, when dried they take up less space. And in winter they can be soaked at any time and used as fresh.

How to dry eggplants at home

The first stage of preparing dried vegetables at home is choosing the fruits. Late varieties are best suited for these purposes - fresh and ripe fruits without damage or rot, with a glossy surface, uniform purple color. The optimal size is medium; large vegetables are not suitable for drying.

Attention! Most varieties of eggplant have an unpleasant bitterness. Therefore, before cooking, cut vegetables are salted and left for 15–30 minutes so that they release their juice. The dark liquid is drained and the fruits are washed.

Slicing methods

For soups and salads, vegetables are cut into strips. For stew or caviar - in small cubes. In these cases, the vegetable is first peeled. An appetizer called rolls is prepared from sliced ​​eggplants in winter. The dried halves are used to prepare stuffed dishes. For drying, cut out the pulp from each half, leaving a wall about 0.5 cm thick.

In the oven

Drying vegetables in the oven is the best option for most housewives, since not everyone has the opportunity to dry them in the fresh air or purchase a special electrical device.

Ingredients:

• eggplants - 1 kg;
• oregano - 1 tsp;
• rosemary - 1 tsp;
• thyme - 1 tsp;
• spices (paprika and black pepper) - 1 tsp;
• olive oil - 50 ml.

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 100°C and place the vegetable pieces on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with dried herbs and spices.
2. Leave in the oven for 4 hours.
3. Place the finished snack in sterilized jars, add a little olive oil and close the lids. Store in the refrigerator.

Other ways to prepare eggplants:

How to dry eggplants for the winter at home correctly

How to freeze eggplants fresh for the winter

How to cook the most delicious eggplant caviar for the winter

In the dryer

It’s even easier to prepare dried vegetables in an electric dryer. You can turn on the appropriate mode and not worry that the snack will burn.

Ingredients:

• eggplants - 1 kg;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• spices to taste;
• vegetable oil - 50 ml.

Preparation:

1. Place the prepared eggplants on trays in the dryer and leave for 3-4 hours at a temperature of 50 °C. The time depends on the size of the vegetable pieces and the cutting method.
2. Pour some oil (preferably olive oil) into the bottom of a glass jar, add garlic, spices and fill it with vegetables.
3. Add more oil on top, close the lid and store in the refrigerator.

On open air

When drying outdoors, any number of vegetables is acceptable - as much as space allows.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the eggplants - wash, remove bitterness and dry.
2. Trim the stem. Cut the pulp into thin strips.
3. Place the vegetables on a baking sheet or boards so that they do not touch each other. Cover the top with one layer of gauze.
4. Choose a place protected from the sun and drafts and leave the eggplants there to dry.

Attention! The drying process itself will take 6-7 days. During this time, turn the vegetables periodically to ensure they dry evenly.

How to check readiness

You can easily check the readiness of dried eggplants by pressing on the vegetable. If the eggplant springs back slightly, it is ready.. The state of dried fruits is something between fried and dried.

How to store dried eggplants

Dried eggplants Store in the refrigerator in glass containers, canvas or linen bags, in thick cardboard boxes. The ideal place to store any workpiece is a cellar or basement in your home, but an enclosed balcony is also suitable.

Terms and conditions of storage

At room temperature no higher than 28 °C, dried eggplants can be stored for up to 3 months. In the refrigerator in a glass container, filled with vegetable oil, they do not spoil for about 5 months. If the snack has been cooked and canned, it can be stored in a dark, dry place at room temperature until the next harvest.

How to use: the best recipes

Dried eggplants are eaten as an independent snack, added to casseroles, salads, stews and soups, and made into caviar. They go well with rice, meat, potatoes and other vegetables. Eggplant preparation with oregano and olive oil is used in making pies, pizza, and sandwiches.

Attention! Before boiling or frying, vegetables are soaked in warm water for 30–40 minutes.

If you want to surprise your guests or try something original and new, a selection of recipes is suitable for these purposes. Eggplants can be used to make a variety of preparations to suit every taste - it all depends on the spices, herbs and marinade.

In oil with garlic and basil

Traditional, simplest and budget recipe. Vegetable oil acts as a preservative and gives eggplants softness and rich taste.

Ingredients:

• eggplants - 0.8 kg;
• dried basil - 2 tsp;
• rosemary - 2 tsp;
• paprika - 1 tsp;
• allspice - 3-4 peas;
• ground chili pepper - on the tip of a knife;
• salt - 1 tsp;
• vegetable oil.

Preparation:

1. Cut the peeled vegetables into slices 1 cm thick. Place them in a deep container, add salt, mix and leave for 2 hours.
2. Place vegetables in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
3. Mix all the spices and herbs.
4. Preheat oven to 120°C.
5. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.Place the vegetable slices on it in a single layer and sprinkle them with half of the herb and spice mixture.
6. Place the dish in the oven for 2–2.5 hours.
7. Place chopped garlic at the bottom of the prepared jar (0.3 l), add allspice and the remaining spices. Place hot vegetables on top and pour olive oil.

Store the snack in the refrigerator.

With honey

According to this recipe, the appetizer turns out to be aromatic and orientally spicy.

Ingredients:

• eggplants - 1.5 kg;
• liquid honey - 70 g;
• cumin - 1 tsp;
• dry adjika - 1 tsp;
• apple cider vinegar - 60 ml;
• soy sauce - 60 ml;
• olive or vegetable oil - 50 ml.

Preparation:

1. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well.
2. Place the peeled and thinly sliced ​​eggplants into a deep container. Pour the prepared marinade on top and mix thoroughly.
3. Place the snack in the refrigerator for a day.
4. After a day, drain the marinade, squeeze out the eggplants and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Dry at 75°C for 2-3 hours. Leave the oven door ajar. The dish will be ready when the oil, absorbed into the fruits during the day, appears on their surface.

Eggplant with mushroom flavor

Eggplants prepared according to this recipe resemble wild mushrooms in taste and appearance. It is better to select young fruits with a minimum number of seeds.

Preparation:

1. Cut the washed and peeled fruits into thin slices and place them on a thread.
2. Place the eggplants on a dry baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes at 160°C.
3. Hang the cooled bundled vegetables to dry in a dry place. Once completely dry, store them in canvas bags or glass jars.
4. Before frying, soak this dryer in water for half an hour.After this, the eggplants can be stewed with spices, herbs and sour cream, like mushrooms.

This is interesting:

Do you need to peel eggplants and how to do it?

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Dried Korean style

The recipe contains the usual combination of vegetables, but the taste of the snack itself is bright. Ready-made eggplants, dried in any way, are suitable for cooking.

Ingredients:

• dried eggplants - 50 g;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• bell pepper - 1 pc.;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• soy sauce - 2 tbsp. l.;
• ground coriander;
• red wine vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.;
• Korean carrots - 100 g;
• vegetable oil - for frying.

Preparation:

1. Pour boiling water over the dried eggplants and leave for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan, add chopped garlic and coriander. Fry for 1 minute.
3. Add onion, cut into half rings, eggplant and pepper. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
4. Pour in soy sauce and wine vinegar. Stir, remove from heat and leave to cool.
5. Add Korean carrots to the dish and stir. Salad with dried eggplants in Korean is ready. If desired, before serving, you can season it with mayonnaise (preferably homemade).

Conclusion

Dried eggplants retain a lot of useful substances that are present in fresh vegetables. In winter, such preparations strengthen the immune system and diversify the daily menu. After all, you can prepare many different dishes from them, from soups to baked goods. Guests will be pleasantly surprised when they try this delicacy on the holiday table.