Eggplants stewed with tomatoes, carrots and grated apple
8 servings
70 minutes
Eggplants stewed with tomatoes, carrots, and grated apple is a classic dish of Russian cuisine that combines the rich flavor of vegetables with the gentle sweetness of apples. Its origin dates back centuries when housewives sought to create a nutritious and aromatic dish from available ingredients. The stewed eggplants become soft and rich, while the apples add a light fruity note that complements the sweet-sour profile of the tomatoes. Light frying before stewing makes the vegetables particularly appetizing, and the slow cooking process allows the flavors to harmoniously blend together. This dish can be served as an independent appetizer or a side dish to meat. It pairs wonderfully with bread, mashed potatoes, or rice, and when chilled it acquires a special depth of flavor.
1
Peel the eggplants and cut them into large cubes.
- Eggplants: 7 pieces
2
Pour water into a large bowl or pot, add a tablespoon of salt. Place all the chopped eggplants in the salted water so that they are completely covered. For convenience, cover with a lid. This helps prevent the eggplants from 'floating'. Leave the eggplants in the water for 1 hour. The salty water will draw out all the bitterness from the eggplants.
- Salt: to taste
3
After soaking the eggplants, you need to peel and grate the carrots. It's best to use a regular large grater.
- Carrot: 4 pieces
4
Chop the onion finely.
- Onion: 2 heads
5
Heat vegetable (or olive) oil in a large deep skillet. Add carrots and onions to the skillet. Sauté until soft.
- Vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons
- Carrot: 4 pieces
- Onion: 2 heads
6
Add eggplants to the onion and carrot. Fry everything together until the eggplants and onion are golden brown. The main thing is to keep the onion moderately light and not burnt.
- Eggplants: 7 pieces
7
Chop the tomatoes coarsely and salt them. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Stir. Reduce the heat to medium and cover with a lid. The mixture should stew in its own juice.
- Baku tomatoes: 5 piece
- Salt: to taste
8
While everything is stewing, grate 2 peeled sweet apples on a coarse grater. Add them to stew with the other vegetables and mix well. Cover again.
- Red apples: 2 pieces
9
Cook covered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour until a homogeneous puree-like mass is obtained.
10
After an hour, open the lid and simmer until the excess juice evaporates a bit, turning into sauce.
11
Cool the vegetables in the refrigerator. Then they will become full-fledged demianks.