Let’s try a delicious Moroccan dish: aubergine zaalouk

Moroccan-style aubergines, also known as aubergine zaalouk, are a tasty and spicy side dish that goes perfectly with everything.

Wanting to describe the aubergine zaalouk we could say that it is a sort of caponata where however the flavor of the aubergines blends with that of the spices. Cumin, but also paprika and coriander make aubergines more than a simple side dish . Also served as a single dish, it goes perfectly with pita, the classic Moroccan bread, but no one is stopping you from using it to season pasta.

Like all preparations of this type, the principle that it is even better the next day also applies to the aubergine zaalouk recipe. In fact, the flavors have plenty of time to blend and blend, enhancing each other. What do you think, have we convinced you to try our Moroccan aubergines?

How to prepare the aubergine zaalouk recipe

1. First, wash and peel the aubergines and dry them with a kitchen cloth.
2. Cook them in the oven (or in an air fryer) at 180° C for about 20 minutes .
3. In a pan, heat the oil with the crushed or finely chopped garlic (after having removed the core).
4. Add the spices (coriander, paprika and cumin) and toast them for a couple of minutes.
5. As soon as they start to fry, add the peeled tomatoes, crushed with a fork and leave to cook for about 10 minutes, then add the aubergines.
6. Leave to cook for about 20 minutes , or in any case until the vegetables fall apart, creating a nice homogeneous cream.
7. Flavor the dough with lemon juice which, although strange, goes very well with these ingredients.
8. If necessary, add salt and, to taste, finish by adding fresh parsley.

Your aubergine zaalouk is ready to be enjoyed, hot, cold or reheated, it doesn't matter: it will always be delicious! If you liked this recipe, try the Sicilian aubergines and you will fall in love with them!

And here is a video recipe similar to our preparation, quick and easy to prepare:

Variations of the Moroccan dish

There are two most frequent changes to make to this dish: the first concerns the tomatoes and the second the aubergines.

1. You can very well do without ready-made peeled tomatoes and use fresh tomatoes. In this case, make a cross on the skin and blanch them for a few minutes, so you can remove the skin more easily. After peeling them, cut them into cubes and use them in the recipe.
2. The other variation is precisely in aubergines, which can also be used with the peel . In this case your cream will be slightly less homogeneous, but still delicious. You can also cook them already cut into cubes and peeled , until they are toasted. In the traditional recipe for aubergine cream these are cooked directly on the fire so that they take on a smoky hint.

As a final piece of advice, we want to raise a question regarding the use of spices . You can customize the flavor combinations according to your tastes, for example by adding turmeric or chilli pepper.

storage

Moroccan-style aubergines can be stored in the refrigerator , in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. You can consume them at room temperature or reheated.