How to Salt & Press Eggplant

Eggplant can be bitter and spongy unless it is salted and pressed before cooking. You will find that when the vegetable is cut into slices, salted lightly and pressed between paper towels prior to cooking, the eggplant becomes especially delicious and flavorful. The salting makes the the eggplant less permeable, and prevents the vegetable from absorbing too much oil during cooking or frying.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Eggplant
• Knife
• Paper towels
• Cookie sheet
• Salt
• Iron skillet

Reduce the water in eggplant with salt

1. Wash the eggplant before cutting off the ends and slicing into 1/2-inch pieces.

2. Place three layers of paper towels onto a cookie sheet. Lay the eggplant on top of the paper towels, and lightly salt each slice. Place two layers of paper towel on top of the salted eggplant, and press the vegetables by resting an iron skillet on top of the paper towels.

3. Remove the eggplant slices after they have been pressed for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse the slices quickly with cold water and add them to your favorite dish.

Tips & Warnings

• At the grocery store, select an eggplant with a peel that does not spring back when pinched.

References

• salt eggplant
• American Vegetarian Cookbook; Marilyn Diamond; 1990