Why can't we eat the skin of aubergines?

[Pampy Profile]

Yes, we have our new Lidl store down on the main road now! Their bakery is just on the right as I walk in the store … Mmmmm...

Try Lidl's fig and walnut bread - delicious!

[Suffs Profile]

I use the flesh only for dishes like Baba Ganoush, but for other dishes where the aubergine is stuffed as in Imam bayildi or sliced as in a moussaka I include all the skin and have never noticed any problem with eating it ... and neither have my guests appeared to dislike it. I’m totally bemused by the suggestion that one should peel them. I’ve never dreamt of it and can’t remember ever having seen it recommended.

[Renee Profile]

Thanks Pampy … will do!

[Sakkarin Profile]

My Fish-Fragrant Aubergine - if you tried making babaganoush out of these funny little Asian aubergines, it would have to be be ALL skin!

On a critical note, it's the first time I've made this with the weeny aubergines as far as I can remember, and I prefer it with normal Western aubergines, it was slightly too bitter. Still wolfed it down, though.

Very expensive shiitake (because that's all my local oriental store had last time I went, I usully buy a cheaper brand), but they are the best I've ever had.

[Binky Profile]

That looks fab. Is there an easy recipe? I have an aubergine in the fridge, waiting for inspiration.

edit: no worries, I found this and we have a half block of tofu to use up, so it's perfect for dinner tonight


https://www.meatfreemondays.com/recipes ... gine-tofu/

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I posted a link to Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe above Binky, that's the one I use

My oriental aubergines were about 8 or 9 inches long, so not teeny weeny, I had to do quite a lot of cutting


While steaming or microwaving aubergines can be a good option for some dishes, I think for dishes like this you want the colour and associated flavour and texture you get from frying

[Sakkarin Profile]

The link on my first post was to my plateful to Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe, which has no meat anyway. Today's is based on Sunflower's recipe, although I add a couple of dried shiitake.

http://sunflower-recipes.blogspot.com/2 ... rgine.html

[mark111757 Profile]

Thiwas a pic of moussaka express from Gazelle Cuisine July 2019

IMG_20190806_090411.jpg (228.82 KiB) Viewed 8328 times

[Stokey Sue Profile]

That looks good Mark

I like papoutsakia, literally slippers I believe, which are individual moussakas made in half aubergines, but I never think to make them, though they are an ideal thing to stash in the freezer. I feel a project coming on.... while aubergines are good and cheap in the summer!

[jeral Profile]

I use the flesh only for dishes like Baba Ganoush, but for other dishes where the aubergine is stuffed as in Imam bayildi or sliced as in a moussaka I include all the skin and have never noticed any problem with eating it ... and neither have my guests appeared to dislike it. I’m totally bemused by the suggestion that one should peel them. I’ve never dreamt of it and can’t remember ever having seen it recommended.

Hi Suffs, I imagine this refers to what I wrote so I've found a reference for you, being Yotam's Imam Bayildi, although stripe peeling has been around for ages.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ottolenghi

Stokey Sue, yes, in season (cheaper) is good as one large aubergine is enough for several platefuls. Did someone mention the Delia effect?

[Binky Profile]

StokeySue, I hadn't twigged that your link was for the Fuschia Dunlop recipe. I will have a good look at it later.

Is she famous, this Fuschia Dunlop? I've only heard of her on this board (whereas we all know of Nigella, Delia, Jamie etc.)

[Pepper Pig Profile]

There’s fake and there’s fake. She’s not a TV chef Binky but she’s a great authority on Eastern cookery and has been for a number of years.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Fuchsia Dunlop is famous among certain groups of foodies, specially those interested in Chinese food, but not perhaps a full-blown celeb, as she’s done no tv that I know of and surprisingly little radio, given that I believe her day job is with BBC World Service

The story goes that she was studying Chinese language in Chengdu, Sichuan province and decided to enrol in the local catering college, so she really does know about the food

On her return she wrote memoirs then the excellent but quite academic Sichuan Cookery, then The Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, which focuses on the food of Hunan, Chairman Mao’s region, and then Every Grain of Rice which is simple everyday recipes. I have all 3 but cook mainly from the last (known affectionately as EGOR). She has also written for Guardian/Observer.

Her Amazon page is quite confusing as all her books were issued with different titles in the US and sometimes here too
https://www.amazon.co.uk/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B001IGLRVG?_encoding=UTF8&node=266239&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-pages-popularity-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader

[Binky Profile]

Thanks for the explanation.

It has made me think about Chinese food (I have cookery books for Indian, Mexican, Eastern European, Arabic, vegetarian and basic British cuisines -- but nothing on China). We visited China for one of our big birthdays with an 0 in it, and had lovely food to begin with, but it it sadly degraded half way through. Lots of noodles and bits we couldn't identify, flavour of MS glutamate, and generally like the Chinese takeways we avoid.

It would be great to find a proper Chinese restaurant, cooking regional dishes, but all the ones within reasonable distance are the 'takeaway' variety (usually with low food hygiene scores, sad to say).

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

I've only ever not used the aubergine skin when making certain dips or aubergine and walnut pesto. The skin get used at all other times. One of these days I will make stuffed aubergine halves. I've got or can find several recipes but can't seem to get out of the thrifty habit I had with cooking and eking ingredients out when I was unemployed a few years back!

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Aubergines done in my Cameron stovetop smoker are really gorgeous to use in whatever recipe you chose.

[Binky Profile]

Here's our aubergine and tofu fish-fragrant dinner tonight

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Nice Binky!

[Binky Profile]

I left a space on the plates for prawn crackers - until OH sheepishly confessed to eating the packet one evening.

It was surprisingly easy to make (I think the chopping and assembling of ingredients was 10 minutes) and of course speedy to cook. This will be a regular for us.

[jeral Profile]

I don't blame your OH Binky as prawn crackers are weirdly addictive. I become disproportionately sad if takeaway ones are less than good, even if the meal itself is good. I think because they are so light. I wonder why the delightful Vesta expanding noodles didn't become mainstream.