afoona
Moroccan Zaalouk
Salads

Moroccan Zaalouk

A cooked Moroccan eggplant salad with tomatoes, garlic and spices. Perfect as a side or as a spread on bread.

⏱ 45 min🍽 4 servings 🌍 Middle Eastern👩‍🍳 Afoona🧩 2 parts

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Roasted Vegetables

  1. 1
    Char the eggplants whole directly over the gas flame, turning, until the skin is black and blistered on all sides and the flesh is completely soft (eggplants: 20–30 minutes, about 10 minutes per side).
    Stove
    💡Charring directly over the flame gives the vegetables their smoky flavor; in the oven they soften, but the flavor is milder.
  2. 2
    Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly and leave 10–15 minutes.
    Bowl
    💡The steam in the covered container separates the skin from the flesh, so it comes off easily. Don't rinse under water: the smoky flavor washes away with it.
  3. 3
    Peel off the charred skin and drain off the liquid (leave the eggplant in a colander 15–30 minutes).
    Colander
    💡Drain the roasted eggplant 15–30 minutes: its bitter juices dilute the salad.
  4. 4
    Chop the eggplant flesh with a knife.
    KnifeCutting board
    💡Chop with a knife, not a blender: that way fibers and chunks remain, and the texture doesn't turn to mush.

To assemble

  1. 5
    Heat the olive oil in a pot and fry the garlic 1–2 minutes.
    ⚙ Pan-fryingStovePot
  2. 6
    Add the tomatoes and cook 10 minutes.
    Stove
  3. 7
    Add the eggplant and the cumin, paprika and turmeric, season with salt and black pepper and cook about 10 minutes, stirring and lightly mashing, until the salad thickens.
    Stove
    💡Cooking evaporates the eggplant's liquid and concentrates the flavor. Stir and mash now and then, until the salad is as thick as a spread.
  4. 8
    Add the lemon juice and cilantro and stir.
182calories
4 gprotein
12 gcarbs
11 gfat
● protein 10%● carbs 30%● fat 60%

Per serving (374 g), of 4 servings

For the Roasted Vegetables · To assemble ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (6) · 🍳 One cooking vessel

  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Pot · Also works: Deep skillet (sauté pan) (less liquid, faster evaporation) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Wok (For quick cooking)
  • Cutting board · Also works: Plate (Large plate, dulls the knife)
  • Knife · Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
  • Bowl · Also works: Pot (None)
  • Colander · Also works: Lid (a lid held slightly open over the sink, you lose a little) · Slotted spoon (for small amounts)

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

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