Recipes » Main Dish » Eggplant With White Bean Purée in Tamarind Sauce
T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies

Ingredients

Eggplant

  • 2 medium eggplants, cut in half lengthwise
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 tsp sea salt

White Bean Purée

  • 3 garlic cloves
  • Dried herbs to taste
  • 6-8 cambray (spring) onions, green stalks finely diced
  • 2 cups cooked white beans, drained
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Onions

  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 6-8 cambray (spring) onions, bulbs cut lengthwise

Tamarind Sauce

  • 6 Tbsp tamarind paste
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup date paste
  • 1 ½ Tbsp oat flour

Instructions

Eggplant

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • 2. With the flat surface of the eggplant facing up, use a sharp knife to score the eggplant flesh with diagonal lines, without piercing the peel.
  • 3. Drizzle the eggplant halves with the water and season with sea salt.
  • 4. Place the eggplant halves facing up on a baking dish and cover. Bake for 30 minutes, uncover, then bake for another 20 minutes. The eggplant should be soft but still hold its shape.

White Bean Purée

  • 1. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the green portions of the cambray onion and garlic in a little vegetable broth for two minutes.
  • 2. Add the dried herbs, salt, pepper, and the rest of the broth, and cook for 1 minute.
  • 3. Add the white beans and continue cooking over medium heat for 1 more minute.
  • 4. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to purée the bean mixture.

Onions

  • 1. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the cambray onion bulbs in a little vegetable broth for 5 minutes or until slightly golden.
  • 2. Add the rest of the vegetable broth and cook for 10 minutes.

Tamarind Sauce

  • 1. In a small saucepan, combine the tamarind paste, water, date paste, and oat flour.
  • 2. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

To serve

  • 1. Spread the bean puree on a serving dish.
  • 2. Place the roasted eggplant halves on top of the bean puree.
  • 3. Cover with the sautéed onions, and drizzle the tamarind sauce.

Cooking Tips

  • 1. Make sure you select a ripe eggplant. Eggplant should be slightly firm but not hard. If you press your finger against the eggplant, it should have a little give to it and bounce back, but not be as soft as, pressing your finger against a ripe piece of fruit. If it feels very soft, that means that the eggplant is old and overripe. On the other hand, green eggplants may have a bitter taste.

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