Eggplant salad with yogurt is one of the most refreshing and beloved meze varieties of Turkish cuisine. We, Turks, love anything made with eggplants and/or yogurt a lot. Eggplant salad with yogurt is one of the easiest meze varieties to make for the ones who like to eat light and refreshing during the hot summers.
In Turkey, eggplant season starts from June and continues until October. As we have four seasons in our country, we can also find greenhouse-produced eggplants throughout the year. However, most of us in Turkey prefer to consume vegetables during their own production season, and eggplant season has already started.
When you go to any restaurant in Turkey, you can find at least one variety of eggplant dishes, salad, or meze in their menus. Some people consider eggplant salad with yogurt as meze and some don’t. In our cuisine; there is no specific laser cut difference between the salads and the mezes.
So, when you come to Turkey and stop by a restaurant, kindly check both mezes and salads sections of the menu to find this tasty refreshing salad. Some people don’t like eggplant that much because of its bitterness but take my word and try this delicious salad when you find it on the menu. You will not regret it.
Eggplant Salad with Yogurt
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Plain Yogurt (Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt) Non-fat Plain Yogurt
- 3 Eggplants
- 2 Clove of Garlic Crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tbsp Crushed Red Chili Flakes
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil (optional)
Instructions
-
Pre-heat the oven at 200C (390 F).
-
Put 6 tablespoons of plain yogurt into a bowl and add the crushed garlic and salt. Mix them well and set aside.
-
Wash the eggplants, cut the top stalks, and then peel them.
-
Put a baking paper on the oven tray and place the eggplants in it.
-
Make a few holes on the eggplants by using a fork to help the heat to evaporate the eggplants' inner bitterness.
-
Cook for about 15 minutes and then take them out.
-
Chop the eggplants finely into small pieces and then put them into the yogurt and garlic mix. Mix all of them very well.
-
Put the mix into a serving plate and then drizzle the olive oil over it and sprinkle the crushed red chili peppers in a straight line on top of it.
-
Serve
Recipe Notes
Tip: Serve with baguette bread.
