How to Fry a Soggy Eggplant

Bring the taste of the Mediterranean to your table with fried eggplant.

Sliced, grilled, sauteed, fried or baked, eggplant makes a delicious and nutritious dish for the whole family. As well as being a good source of dietary fiber and minerals, it has additional health benefits including high levels of antioxidants and cholesterol reducing effects. Its spongy texture and slightly bitter taste add interest to a meal either as a versatile ingredient or served as a vegetable on its own. Serve your family tasty, fried slices of eggplant. They are sure to be a popular side dish.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife
• Salt
• Plate or flat roasting dish
• Kitchen towel
• Large frying pan
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• Spatula

Instructions

1. Cut off the stalk of the eggplant and wipe the skin with a piece of damp kitchen towel.

2. Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch slices. Place them onto a plate or large, flat roasting dish in one layer.

3. Sprinkle the slices with a thin layer of salt, ensuring the entire upper surface of each slice is covered. Leave the dish for 20 to 30 minutes for the salt to remove excess fluid from the vegetable. This also helps reduce the bitter taste and improve its texture especially if the vegetable is soggy.

4. Rinse the slices well to remove any salt and wipe them dry using more paper towel.

5. Pour the cooking oil into a frying pan and preheat it until it is very hot and just starting to smoke. Turn down the heat slightly so the eggplant will not burn when it is cooked.

6. Place one layer of eggplant slices into the frying pan and fry for approximately one or two minutes until they are brown in color. Turn the slices regularly using a spatula to ensure that they are cooked evenly and do not become burnt.

7. Drain the cooked eggplant on paper kitchen towels and serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Coat the eggplant with beaten egg and breadcrumbs for a crispy coating. Try tossing the slices in a mixture of spices such as turmeric, garlic and chili for an extra spicy taste.

References

• WH Foods: Eggplant
• Fine Cooking; How to Cook Eggplant to Tender, Silky Perfection; Ayla Algar
• Epicurious; Crisp Fried Eggplant; April 1990
• Cooks.com: Fried Eggplant
• "Cookery Encyclopedia"; Good Housekeeping; 1983