Eggplants are one of the wonderful veggie rich in antioxidants belonging to the nightshade family. This post explains the step by step instruction of how to roast or broil eggplants in oven. Roasted eggplants have a beautiful taste and they can be made into delicious dips and lip-smacking sides/curries.
Flame roasted eggplants taste divine and check the steps to roast in flame in thie recipe for Flame Roasted Eggplant Raita. It has an amazing smakoy flavor. The broiled version is equivalent to it. If you don't like the smoky flavor try roasting in an oven for same taste minus smokiness.
This post uses American Black Beauty variety eggplant (the one used to baingan bharta). Not all eggplants cook at the sametime and hence the roasting time may vary if smaller varieties are used. Japanese eggplants may take lesser time than the black beauty ones. Also, the advantage of using bigger ones is that when you roast one, its all done. There is only one eggplant to peel and mash than a few long ones.
Broiling is easy. Just make sure to broil the eggplant in a baking sheet to prevent the mess when the juice flows out. Broil the eggplant on Hi till the skin becomes papery and flaky. This could take anywhere between 20-30 minutes based on the size of the eggplant.Kaima Bona Gatoi is an amazing broiled veggie dish from Papua New Guinea. Peppers are broiled to make the Bulgarian Lutenitsa. The flavors of broiled veegies is extraordinary and it's easy to find amazing veggies broiled around the world.
Roasted veggies are very common around the world. Roasting enhances the flavor! Roasted eggplants are a common one in many cuisines. Maghmour from Lebanon is a comforting stew of roasted eggplants and garbanzo beans. Bhaingan Bharta is a lip-smacking curry made with oven roasted or flame roasted eggplants. Curried Eggplant and Chickpea Fatteh is a tasty, delicious, and irresistible appetizer/snack!
Ingredients
Eggplant - 1
Oil - 1 tsp
Method
Roasting
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Wash and pat dry the eggplant. Make two slits like a cross running through the eggplant from the end to the stalk, but not completely chopping it. Poke a few holes with a fork or knife here and there on the eggplant skin. Spread oil on the surface. Place in a baking tray and roast. To preserve the juices and make cean up easier, wrap the eggplant in a aluminum foil and roast. Roast for 45-55 minutes.
Remove the oven and cool.
Peel the skin, mash, and is ready to be used in recipes.
Broiling:
Switch on the oven in broil - Hi mode.
Place the eggplant in a baking tray and broil, turning it often such that all the sides get uniformly roasted. When the skin becomes flaky like paper, check with a knife for complete cooking. The inserted knife should go easily into the eggplant with ease indicating complete cooking. This process may take about 20-30 minutes depending on the eggplant size.
Transfer to a bowl and cool.
Peel and use in recipes.
Delicious roasted/broiled eggplant is ready to make tasty recipes.
Srivalli says
This must have made it so delicious Radha,...very nicely done. I have mostly roasted it over direct flame, this is another good method for sure.
Rafeeda AR says
This post is extremely informative. I always struggle with broiling eggplants in the oven, I have to bookmark this recipe...