Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Indian Spiced Eggplant Yogurt Dip

Roasted CSA farm share eggplant seasoned with Indian spices and tempered with yogurt for a spicy, tangy kid-friendly appetizer.

Indian-Spiced Eggplant Yogurt Dip


Eggplant in the CSA farm share, as I have admitted recently, is something that requires thought on my part.  It's not like carrots or broccoli, familiar enough to eat any old way.  It's not like a tomato that can be delicious on a sandwich or put up when we get too many all at once.  It's not like beets, that I hog all to myself enjoy in a myriad of ways (check the Visual Recipe Index for recipe ideas by vegetable).

Eggplant is in a (very small) class of vegetables that the kids will eat, and happily, one particular way.  This summer I'm trying to change that.  When I made my Baked Eggplant Chips for the same-named Pizza the kids were not big fans.  I tried an Indian-spiced eggplant chip and the texture put my daughter off, but I was on to something--keep the flavor, use the food processor.
This will be a loose recipe because I'll suggest using whatever Indian cooking spices you have on hand.  Don't have garam masala?  Use cumin, coriander, and something for heat.  Don't have hot Madras curry powder, but do have other Indian spice blends (like I used in my Slow Cooker Squash and Beef Masala?)  Use those instead.  The idea is to sauté the onions with the spices, then combine with the eggplant and yogurt.  This recipe is best after the flavors have had a good 4+ hours to blend together, which means to me that it's not a good recipe for a tentative cook because how can you taste and adjust seasonings?  You don't need a food processor for this recipe, but I'm a fool for mine and love the utter smoothness of this dip thanks to it.

NOTE:  I created this recipe to be gluten free through my choice of ingredients. Check labels to confirm that your products are also gluten free. Good sources for determining that your products are gluten free can be found here:

http://www.celiac.com/categories/Safe-Gluten%252dFree-Food-List-%7B47%7D-Unsafe-Foods-%26amp%3B-Ingredients/ 

Indian Spiced Eggplant Yogurt Dip

1 cup roasted eggplant (stab the eggplant, roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-40 minutes until softened), cooled until you can handle the eggplant
1/2 cup chopped onion + cooking oil to sauté 
3/4 teaspoon garam masala (1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon is a good range to play in)
3/4 teaspoon hot Madras curry powder (ditto the range)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (little more, little less)
5-10 grinds black pepper
1 cup plain yogurt (Greek yogurt if you like)

In a small skillet over medium heat, warm the oil and sauté the onion until it starts to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add spices, stir, and heat until fragrant, another 2-3 minutes.  Set aside to cool slightly.  In the bowl of a food processor blend the eggplant and onion-spice mixture thoroughly.  Add the yogurt and blend well.  Chill for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to get cozy with each other.   Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.  Serve cool, not cold (let it sit out a good 20 minutes before serving).  We thought it was delicious with hot naan, but I'd also eat it with sliced veggies, poured over grilled veggies, scooped with pita chips.  I think this would be good as a sandwich spread, but I can't stop eating BBT (Bacon, Basil, Tomato) variations long enough to try it.

How else would you use this dip?

22 comments:

  1. If your kids won't eat this, send it to me. I love Indian spices (more than I love eggplant), and I can think of lots of ways to use this dip (in addition to eating it with a spoon straight from the bowl).

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    1. Lydia,
      With hot naan, the kids will eat this--hooray! I used it as a sauce for roasted radishes with decent results (I like my radishes in a sandwich or on a pizza, so it's really me not the dip).
      A spoon straight from the bowl ain't bad, though.
      Thanks!

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  2. this looks amazing!

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    1. Casey,
      Thanks--I really just kinda threw it together, but it turned out pretty well.

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  3. It looks perfect to me!
    I can imagine myself eating it with Naan

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  4. This sounds so good! I will try it when the eggplant finally arrives at my CSA. I'm not sure what's holding it up this year.

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    1. Annemarie,
      I feel that way about tomatillos--I'm ready, bring them on! Never thought I'd say that. It's funny how being in a CSA changes you in so many ways.

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  5. I have smoked eggplant I was going to make baba ganoush with as soon as I bought some tahini, but now I am going to try this tonight! This way I don't have to go to the grocery store. :)

    Thank you. Some homemade naan and we should be happy, happy campers.

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    Replies
    1. I hear ya on the 'no tahini' thing. When I've got it, the jar seems to last forever, but when I'm out of it . . . well nothing seems to substitute.
      Homemade naan--do you have a recipe?
      Thanks!

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  6. So this is basically Indian baba ghanoush? Sounds awesome, I'll have to try it sometime soon. We are big baba ghanoush fans over here. Thanks!

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    1. Julie,
      I'd have to say it's not really similar to baba ghanoush. I just made baba ghanoush yesterday, and between the tahini, lemon, garlic and cumin it is a very different animal. With the yogurt, this eggplant dip is closer to an Indian sour cream and onion dip than baba ghanoush to me. Both taste good, of course, I feel like the tahini makes my baba ghanoush, not the spices.
      I'm becoming a baba ghanoush fan--have you ever tried to freeze your roasted eggplant, thaw it, and make baba boy I'm sick of typing ghanoush in the winter?

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  7. I love the combination of Indian spices and eggplant. I'm actually hoping we get another one in the CSA now so I can try it. Fingers crossed.

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    1. Meghan,
      Well, since you prodded me to write this up and post it, I'll cross my fingers for you, too.
      Thanks!

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  8. I love egg plant. wills sure try this

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    1. Lily,
      Please let me know how it turns out.
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  9. This looks delicious- thank you!

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    1. Lucy,
      You're quite welcome--now if could just get some of that bread you get in your CSA!

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  10. Interesting. I am not sure I could sell my kids on the spices, but it's worth a try. We did baba ganoush this year and it wasn't a hit. We've had a ton of eggplant this year though and I have come up with quite a few new recipes that [most] of us love.

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    1. Sarah,
      With the right motivation (carrot or Daikon chips) my hummus-eating son at baba ghanoush, but he's not a fan. All the more for me. The biggest draw with this dip was the hot naan--that got them digging in. Your Polpette di Melanzane looks like a potential way my kids would enjoy eggplant, too.
      And it's fun to practice saying.
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  11. I am a HUGE fan of indian food...and anything I can smother on some fresh baked naan is a winner in my book :)

    Thanks for sharing and linking up!

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