When I hear the word eggplant, Eekra is the first thing that comes to my mind. I associate this dish with summer and grilling. Eggplant can be used in many ways but none brings out the unique flavor of eggplant as grilling. The smoky flavor combined with rich texture makes this dish very fulfilling.
Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
2-3 large tomatoes
1 large onion
1 jalapeno pepper, optional
3-5 cloves of garlic
salt
2 Tbs of olive oil
Methods:
Most of the cooking for this dip is done in the oven or the grill. To prepare the vegetables for grilling or roasting, pierce the whole eggplants, and wrap garlic (unpeeled) and jalapeno pepper in aluminum foil. Line up all the vegetables on a glass tray or on a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Roast at 350 degrees until all the vegetables are tender when pierced by a fork. Alternatively, you can grill the vegetables by placing them directly on the grill
Remove the vegetables from the grill or the oven and let it cool. Remove the skin and stems from all the vegetables then chop coarsely. Place a pot on low to medium heat. Heat olive oil in the pot then add all the chopped vegetables to the pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes on low heat stirring frequently.
Serve warm or cold with Pita bread. (and a shot glass of Arak!)
Bari akhorjak! (Bon Apetit in Armenian)