Turkish Fried Eggplant in Tomato Sauce (Şakşuka)

Time
Total Time 50 min
Health Score
Health Score 9/10
Difficulty
Difficulty Medium
Servings
Servings 6

Şakşuka is a delicious vegetable dish featuring fried eggplants in a rich tomato sauce. The key to perfect şakşuka lies in properly preparing the eggplants - soaking them in salt water removes bitterness and helps them absorb less oil when frying. This colorful dish is rich in vegetables and can be served hot or cold, making it perfect for meal prep. While some children might be hesitant about eggplant, the sweet tomato sauce and cooking method make it more appealing. The preparation requires some patience with the eggplant soaking and frying steps, but the result is worth the effort.

Nutrition Information

High Fiber Vitamin C Rich Vitamin A Rich Low Calorie
110kcal
Calories
3g
Protein
12g
Carbohydrates
6g
Fat
5g
Fiber
25mg
Vitamin C
850IU
Vitamin A
450mg
Potassium
1.2mg
Iron
high
antioxidants

Ingredients

  • 4 eggplants
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for sauce)
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 green peppers
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1 dessert spoon tomato paste
  • 1 small cup hot water (125 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 dessert spoon salt (for soaking eggplants)
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1/2 bunch parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preparation of eggplants:
  2. Partially peel eggplants in stripes and cut into cubes
  3. Place in a bowl and cover with water
  4. Add salt and let soak for 15 minutes to remove bitterness
  5. Meanwhile, prepare other vegetables:
  6. Cut green peppers into small pieces
  7. Chop onion for cooking
  8. Peel and cube tomatoes
  9. Cooking the eggplants:
  10. Remove eggplants from salt water and dry thoroughly with paper towels
  11. Heat oil in a pan for frying
  12. Fry eggplants until golden brown
  13. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil
  14. Preparing the sauce:
  15. Heat oil in a pan
  16. Sauté chopped onion and garlic until translucent
  17. Add peppers and cook for a few minutes
  18. Add tomatoes and cook until they start to break down
  19. Add tomato paste, sugar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes
  20. Stir and cook until sauce thickens
  21. Final steps:
  22. Add fried eggplants to the sauce and mix gently
  23. Transfer to serving dish
  24. Garnish with chopped parsley
  25. Can be served hot or at room temperature

Serving Tips

  • Can be served hot, warm or at room temperature
  • Perfect as a vegetarian main dish or side dish
  • Serve with crusty bread to soak up the sauce
  • Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
  • For children, cut vegetables into smaller, more manageable pieces
  • Can be made less spicy by reducing or omitting red pepper flakes
  • Excellent as part of a meze spread
  • Tastes even better the next day as flavors develop