Eggplant caviar with cilantro
4 servings
40 minutes
Eggplant caviar with cilantro is a refined dish of Caucasian cuisine that captivates with its rich flavor and delicate texture. Historically, it originated as a simple yet nutritious dish popular among nomadic peoples. Roasted eggplants acquire a rich, slightly smoky taste that harmonizes with the spicy onion, fragrant sunflower oil, and refreshing acidity of vinegar. Cilantro adds a distinctive note of freshness, giving the caviar an unmatched Eastern touch. After being infused in the refrigerator for a day, the flavor becomes deeper and more intense. Traditionally served on rye bread, it creates a perfect combination of the caviar's softness and the bread's density. This versatile dish can be served as an independent appetizer, side dish, or even as a base for original culinary experiments.
1
Wash the eggplants and place them whole, without cutting, in a well-heated (200–250 degrees) oven to bake. This process usually takes about half an hour.
- Eggplants: 5 piece
2
Then remove the burst and juice-draining vegetables from the oven, let them cool, peel them, and grind them through a meat grinder along with the onion. Mix in a large bowl with sunflower oil, salt, and vinegar.
- Eggplants: 5 piece
- Onion: 5 head
- Sunflower oil: 150 ml
- Vinegar: 50 ml
- Salt: to taste
3
Chop the onion. You can be generous with oil and onion when adding them to the dish. The unpleasant onion taste is almost completely absorbed by the eggplants, which can also soak up a huge amount of oil.
- Onion: 5 head
- Sunflower oil: 150 ml
4
Let the mixture sit in the fridge for a day to dull the onion smell and thicken the mass. It's best to spread the finished caviar on black Darnitsky bread or any other rye bun.