Refreshing Eggplant Salad

Eggplant is a great vegetable. There are so many ways to prepare it. It is used a lot in middle eastern and southern Italian cuisine. This recipe is my version of the Lebanese-style eggplant salad called Bethanjane. It is a great appetizer and really easy to put together. Usually, the eggplant is roasted and peeled, but in this recipe, I use a non-stick pan and I fry the eggplants with water. I know it sounds crazy, but it actually works. It is a very healthy way to substitute frying with oil.

You will need:

1/2 An eggplant chopped into square pieces (Unpeeled)
1 Small onion finely chopped
2 Medium-sized tomatoes
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water (for frying)

In a frying pan, add the chopped eggplant and turn on the heat. Once the pan starts to heat, add a little bit of water, just enough for it to cover the bottom of the pan and sizzle. You will need to watch as the water evaporates every minute or so. When the water evaporates, add a bit more. You should see the eggplant caramelize a bit. Once the eggplant is cooked, set aside and let it cool down.
(Usually takes about 10 minutes)

Then, add the tomatoes, onions, parsley and basil in a bowl. Once the eggplant is cooled (you may want to refrigerate them for a bit), add it in the bowl. Then put the olive oil, salt and pepper in the bowl and mix well.
That's it!

Simple, healthy and delicious!!
Enjoy :-)