Eggplant, Aubergine, Brinjal

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What Is Eggplant?

The eggplant, also know as aubergine or brinjal is a plant from the family of the nightshades and thus closely related to tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. The fruit, which is used as a vegetable in cooking is known with the same name. The plant comes originally from India and Sri Lanka, but is meanwhile cultivated in almost the whole world.

The produced fruit of the domesticated plants is much bigger than the maximum 3 cm small fruit growing at wild plants. The fruit belongs to the family of berries and contains a lot of small, soft and edible seeds. Because they carry a unimportant amount of nicotonoid alkaloids, the are bitter in taste.

Moussaka 

Eggplant recipe at its finest

If you are looking for ways how to cook eggplant, give this moussaka a try. You will love it.

MoussakaIngredients for the moussaka
2 big eggplants
5 medium sized potatoes
2 onions
1 garlic glove
500 g beef minced meat
6 peeled tomatoes
3 tbs tomato paste
2 tsp oregano
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cumin
salt, pepper

Ingredients for the bechamel
2 tbs butter
4 tbs flour
600 ml milk
2 tbs grated cheese
2 eggs
salt, pepper

Preparation
Cut 2 big eggplants in slices and fry them in sunflower oil until they are brownish and nearly smooth. Let them drain off.

Cut 2 onions in small cubes and fry them together with 1 sliced garlic clove. Add 500 grams of beef minced meat and stir-fry until color has changed. Stir in 6 peeled tomatoes (preferably from the own vegetable garden) and 3 table spoons of tomato paste. Add salt, pepper, 2 tea spoons of oregano (preferably from the own herb garden), a quarter tea spoon of cinnamon and a quarter table spoon of cumin. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes while it is covered with a lid.

Meanwhile cut 5 medium sized potatoes in slices and cook them.

Now for the best bechamel ever
Melt 2 table spoons of butter over medium heat, take it from the stove and add 4 table spoons of flour. Gradually whisk 600 ml of milk. Season with salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil on medium heat while stirring constantly until sauce starts to thicken. Add 2 table spoons of grated cheese and let the everything cool down.

Separate two eggs. Mix the two egg yolks with two table spoons of the sauce and stir it afterwards in the sauce. Whisk stiff the egg white and lift it gently under the sauce.

Continue Preparation
Put layers of the potato slices, minced meat sauce and eggplants alternately. Put the bechamel sauce on the top and top it with 4 table spoons of grated cheese and 4 table spoons of bread crumbs.

Put the casserole into a preheated oven at 180 degress celsius for 45 to 60 minutes. Take the casserole from the oven and wait 5 minutes to cool down a little bit before serving.

For Your Cooking Convenience 

Recipes For Fried Eggplant 



Dipped into flour, seasoned with salt and pepper and pan fried in small amount of olive oil eggplants are a part of a typical Cyprus Meze. Following are some recipes for fried eggplants.

Easy Fried Eggplant
An easy and quick way to prepare eggplant, and tasty too!
Fried Eggplant
Eggplant strips are breaded with a batter with Italian seasonings then fried in deep hot oil until golden brown. Zesty fried eggplant recipe.
Greek Recipe for Fried Eggplant Strips
The soda water in the batter is what makes these thinly sliced strips of eggplant so delightful. Quick frying in hot oil keeps the eggplant from getting oil-soaked. Enjoy as a side dish or, with other dishes, as a meze.
Crisp fried eggplant
Find delicious vegetable recipes, like crisp fried eggplant, and other recipes at Epicurious.com
Pan fried eggplant
Easy to prepare pan fried eggplant

Eggplant

Growing Eggplant 

Did you know, you can grow eggplant in your own garden. Growing eggplants is easier than you might think. The following books will explain in detail how to grow eggplant.

Peppers and eggplant (Gardening series)

Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) Buy Now

Growing peppers & eggplant in the home garden (Garden leaflet)

Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) Buy Now

Eggplant (Home gardening series)

Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) Buy Now

The Gardens for all book of eggplant, okra & peppers: By Dick and Jan Raymond

Amazon Price: (as of 12/01/2009) Buy Now

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by pmolinero

When not being busy with main job I enjoy gardening and giving several Gardening Tips and Landscaping Tips on my blog.

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