Politiko Pligouri Me Melitzanes (Greek Bulgur With Fried Eggpla

Name: Politiko Pligouri Me Melitzanes (Greek Bulgur With Fried Eggpla
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2/3 cup Bulgar wheat (cracked wheat); 1 1/3 cups water; 1 lb eggplant; salt; 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped; 1/2 cup finely chopped dill; 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves; 1 -2 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice; salt

Submitted by Elmotoo

"The origin of this meal is actually from the Greeks of Constantinopolis. And therefore perfect for the Zaar World Tour!"

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Ready In:: 2hrs 30mins
Ingredients:: 10
Serves:: 4

ingredients

²⁄₃ cup Bulgar wheat (cracked wheat)
1 ¹⁄₃ cups water
1 lb eggplant
salt
¹⁄₃ - ¹⁄₂ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
¹⁄₂ cup finely chopped dill
¹⁄₄ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 -2 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
salt

directions

Place the bulgur in a medium-sized bowl and add the water. Toss it a little and let it sit, covered with a cloth, for 2 to 3 hours, until all the water is absorbed. (You can hasten this process by following package directions and adding boiling water to the bulgur instead. Whatever method you choose, the ratio of water to bulgur should always be 2:1, to ensure that the grain stays toothsome and fluffy.)
Wash and pat dry the eggplant. Trim the stem and bottom. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and cut each half into four or five strips. Cut each strip into small cubes, a little less than an inch square. Place them in a colander, sprinkle with 1 to 2 teaspoons salt. Place a weight (such as a pot cover) over the eggplant and let drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well, squeezing to remove excess liquid, and pat dry.
Heat half the oil in a large skillet and add the diced eggplant (you may have to do this in two batches). Stir-fry the eggplant continuously until it is coated with the oil and begins to soften. Add the garlic and continue to fry until the eggplant is very soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and toss together with the bulgur. Add the dill and mint to the bulgur salad and toss to combine.
Season with lemon juice and salt and serve.

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Reviews

Easy to prepare and nutritious. I did a regular stir fry, so used much less oil than the recipe amount (probably 2 tbl). I was unclear on how it was intended to be served. I tried it at room temperature and chilled. I prefer chilled, but the seasonings need to be reduced slightly to work as a cold salad.

realbirdlady
Very pleasant dish. It's quite mild tasting, but then I did have to go easy on the lemon juice as DH doesn't like citrus flavours in savoury food (apart from the times I manage to hide it hehehe!). This is perhaps best served as side dish, especially as it complements and doesn't 'fight' other stronger flavoured food.

Mrs B