Ingredients
: Eggplant: 900 g
Salt: 1 teaspoon
Vegetable oil: 2 tablespoons (for frying the eggplant) + 3 tablespoons (for the marinade)
Sweet pepper: 1 (preferably red or yellow for a pop of color)
Fresh parsley: a handful, finely chopped
Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
Lemon juice: from 1/2 lemon
Sesame seeds: 2 teaspoons
Black pepper: to taste, freshly ground
Paprika: 1 teaspoon (sweet or smoked, depending on your taste)
Sugar: 1 teaspoon
Garlic: 3 cloves, finely chopped
Preparation Step 1: Preparing the Eggplants
Cut the eggplants: Start by thoroughly washing the eggplants and cut them into slices about 1 cm thick. This thickness allows them to maintain a good consistency during frying and marinating.
Remove the bitterness: Sprinkle the eggplant slices with 1 teaspoon of salt and place them in a colander. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. This process will help remove the eggplant’s natural bitterness.
Dry the eggplant: After resting, quickly rinse the eggplant under running water to remove excess salt, then dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Step 2: Fry the eggplant and peppers
Fry the eggplant: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the eggplant slices and fry them on both sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. It’s important not to overcrowd the pan to ensure even browning.
Remove excess oil: Once cooked, transfer the eggplant to a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
Fry the peppers: Cut the bell pepper into 1-2 cm pieces. Using the same skillet (adding a little oil if necessary), fry the peppers over medium heat until soft and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
