Transforming my kitchen into an Andalusian beach side restaurant

Last February, I traveled to Southern Spain with my cousin on an amazing deal from Scott’s Cheap Flights (thanks Scott!) I made peace knowing that there would be limited vegetarian options for me while eating out, and was not expecting to be surprised by any of the meatless dishes. I had traveled to Spain before, and from what I remembered, the vegetarian options were mostly limited to cheese, potatoes and bread (not that this is completely far off from my diet at home, but a girl can pretend.) Plenty of cheese and carbs were consumed, but on our last day at a beach side cafe in Malaga, we were presented with a new vegan tapas plate: eggplant and molasses.

This sweet eggplant is a typical dish from the Andalusian provinces of Granada and Malaga. It is sweet, salty, crunchy and easy to prepare. As Ina would say, what’s better than that? With no molasses in my pantry, I opted for maple syrup and it did not disappoint. The longest part of the recipe is waiting for the salt to dry out the excess moisture from the eggplant. After this, it is smooth sailing into the frying pan. I garnished with golden raisins, but pomegranate seeds and mild herbs would also be a great addition.

Perfect as a vegan starter or an addition to your at-home tapas night, make this recipe when you’re getting bored of your usual veggie preparation and crave something new!

Eggplant & Maple Syrup Vegan Appetizer

Servings: 4
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 80 minutes

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
1-2 tsp of salt
1 cup of neutral frying oil
1 cup of white flour
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp of paprika
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 cup of maple syrup
Raisins, pomegranate seeds and herbs for garnish

Instructions

Rinse and dry the eggplant. Slice the eggplant into thin rounds, approximately 1/8 inch thick. You can use a mandolin slicer or a very sharp knife to do this; just make sure that the slices are of the same thickness.
Place the slices on a large baking sheet or cutting board. Lightly salt both sides of the slices and allow for the eggplant to sit for one hour. This process draws the moisture from the eggplant, making it easier to crisp while frying. Pat the eggplant dry with a paper towel once the hour has passed.
Pour the oil into a medium frying pan and heat over medium high.
Pour the flour onto a large plate. Once the oil is sizzling, dredge the eggplant slices in the flour on both sides and allow the excess to drip off. Using tongs, fry the slices in the oil for about 3 minutes, turning halfway until both sides turn a golden color.
Remove the slices and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Arrange on a serving platter and drizzle maple syrup over the eggplant slices. Garnish with raisins, seeds or herbs and enjoy!