Egyptian Eggplant Moussaka

This is a perfect vegetarian dish made with eggplants and simmered with a tomato sauce. I like to eat it with lebanese bread and green onions. The eggplants can be deep fried but I roasted them in the oven for a lighter version. It is a very simple recipe and a delicious one! The recipe I am sharing today is not the same moussaka everybody knows, it is called Tipsi in Iraq and Moussaka in Egypt and in it the eggplant is usually cut into chunks, fried and then cooked in a tomato sauce with green peppers.



Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
2 green pepper
500g tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp paprika

Cut the eggplants into chunks. If you want you can fry them until brown or like me toast them in the oven. Set aside.
Cut the pepper into cubes and saute it in some oil until cooked.

For the sauce, add two tablespoons of olive oil to a pot and saute the garlic until fragrant
Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, chopped tomatoes, with a quarter cup of water. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Add the spices, eggplants, peppers, and stir.
Turn off the heat, cover the pot and leave it aside for at least 10- 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend
Add the vinegar and stir. Now your moussaka is ready for serving.
Serve with pita bread and french fries

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Fattet batenjen or lebanese eggplants with garlicky yogurt

Fattet Batenjen is a classic Lebanese dish made throughout the country. The original recipe requires deep frying the eggplant chunks and the lebanese bread, but as you already know me I always tend to choose light meals as it is healthier. The original recipe is very tasty but the light version is also delicious. Instead of deep frying the eggplants, i toasted them in the oven with only 1 tbsp of vegetable oil. I also toasted the bread. No frying for me!!
The dish is unique, delicious, healthy and vegetarian! Plus it can be served as an entree or appetizer!! 



Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
2 cups yogurt, greek yogurt
2 tbsp tahini
3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp allspice
canned or cooked chickpeas
lebanese bread, toasted
pine nuts or almonds toasted
drizzle of olive oil

Heat the oven to 180C. Cut your eggplants into large chunks, mix them with 1 tbsp of oil and toast them in the oven until browned. Season them with cumin, allspice and set aside.

In a bowl, mix the yogurt with the mashed garlic, tahini, salt and pepper.  

Now assemble, first place the eggplants in a dish, then the chickpeas, then the yogurt, then the bread and finish with the pine nuts. Drizzle some olive oil and serve.

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