The eggplant or aubergine is a versatile vegetable. It holds its own place in most cuisines ? caponata from Italy, ratatouille from Provence, moussaka from Greece, baba ghanouj from the Middle East, or our very own bharta and baingan ka salan.

Cubed, sliced, pur?ed, stuffed, served hot or cold, aubergine holds gourmets in its own rustic spell.

When buying eggplants look for those with smooth, shiny skin. It should feel firm and the stem should look moist, as if recently cut. While there are many varieties of eggplant available, the globe eggplant is the most common.

Salting or purging an eggplant prevents it from becoming greasy. This also pulls out the bitter juices that are sometimes present in the eggplant. After salting, rinse the eggplant in lots of water to remove the salt. Firmly squeeze a few pieces to draw out almost all the moisture, and then pat the eggplant dry. Thorough drying is important as it gives you a less greasy eggplant! Eggplant is one vegetable that you cannot undercook. It has to be completely cooked through until it’s soft, smooth and creamy.

eggplant and pepper dip

Ingredients: 2 small eggplants (1?lb); juice of 1 lemon; 1 small red pepper; 2 green chillies, minced; 2 tsp minced garlic; 1/2 cup yoghurt; 2 tbs chopped walnuts; 2-3 tsp red wine vinegar; 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; salt and pepper; 1 tbs parsley, minced

Method: Grill the eggplants over a gas flame, turning frequently, until the skins are black and parched and the flesh feels soft when pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin and put the flesh in a colander. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and let it stand for about 10 mins.

Meanwhile, cut the red pepper, core, remove the seeds and then lightly saut? the red pepper until it’s soft and cooked through. Gently squeeze the liquid from the eggplant and transfer the pulp to a mortar or a food processor, along with the bell pepper and chillies. Grind or pulse to a coarse pur?e. Stir in the garlic, yoghurt, walnuts, vinegar and olive oil. Taste and add salt and more vinegar if you like. Place in a serving bowl and keep at room temperature for several hours. Garnish with minced parsley and serve with crusty bread or crackers.