Hajar's Eggplant (aubergine) Braniya Salad

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lbs eggplants, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup sweet onion, grated
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, very finely minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon good sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Recipe

• 1 brown the eggplant in the oil. no need to salt or fiddle at all with the eggplant. i do this in a large skillet on moderate heat and wait quite a while before moving or turning the cubes. you want it nicely browned and cooked through though not mush. the given amount of oil is enough to do this and i have never had to add more. your pan will look overfull but the eggplant will shrink.
• 2 while the eggplant is browning prepare the onions, peppers and garlic and place into a glass or plastic bowl.
• 3 pour eggplant, hot, and it's oil (if any left, though the oil will drain back from the eggplant into the salad during standing for the dressing.) into the bowl over the onion mixture.
• 4 top with remaining ingredients and mix well. refrigerate at least 6 hours and serve chilled or room temperature.
• 5 please use fresh lemon juice and to taste. the amount i use is the juice of 1 fresh lemon. not easy to give an exact measurement on how much juice 1 lemon will yield but i always use 1 lemon.
• 6 this does need to sit so figure in the sitting time as part of the cook time.