Aubergine fries, my latest food obsession, and by obsession I mean can’t stop thinking about them, complete and utter devotion. I have had them for dinner every night this week, which actually bodes well for me as aubergines are in season right now and so cheap they are practically giving them away. If you have ever wanted to try your hand at making baba ganoush now is the time, this week I got 6 for a mere 1,000 won. The reason these beauties are so good, is that they are crispy on the outside and soft and gooey in the middle while still retaining their shape. I had my qualms about making them at first, as I never thought they would hold up, but they do and they are delightful. Make them tonight and I promise you shan’t be disappointed. Fat Girl guaranteed! The other fab thing is that they are baked, not fried, so you can eat an entire pan full, without feeling the least bit shameful. Though you can of course deep fry them if you wish. I paired mine with a sweet chili mayonnaise I made but really any dip at all will do. I didn’t make my own mayonnaise as I was out of olive oil, and we also have a giant vat of mayonnaise that we got from Costco that needs using.
Ingredients
Aubergine Fries
4-5 aubergines (egg plants)
2 eggs
200g of panko crumbs (or your own breadcrumb mix)
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (optional, but more delicious)
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of of mixed herbs (your choice)
A pinch of salt and pepper
Sweet Chili Mayo
6 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce
a pinch of chipotle chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the aubergines in half length ways, then in half again the opposite way. You can then cut these four pieces into quarters or sixths depending on their size. Spread them out on a tray lined with baking paper. Then sprinkle on the mixed herbs and bake for about 15 minutes. They should almost be cooked through, while still retaining their shape.
2. While the aubergines are cooking, beat your eggs in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, add the panko crumbs, paprika, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, and mix together.
3. When the aubergines are done, take them out of the oven, and dip first into the beaten egg then into the panko crumb mixture and set back on the baking tray. Repeat until they are all coated then then drizzle with a little olive oil and put them back into the oven for another 10 minutes. They are done when the are the crumbs are golden brown.
4. To make the sweet chili mayo mix all the ingredients together and serve with your lovely fries. Eat them, then go out and buy more aubergines cause they are amazeballs.
