Zaa‘louka (Charred Eggplant Salad)

Eggplant in Algeria is widely available all year long. It may be cooked as a comfort dish in winter in a garlic tomato sauce and fava beans, while in summer, eggplant is mostly consumed as a salad. This salad recipe is one of the most healthiest salad you can prepare in minutes.

Zaa‘louka (Algerian Charred Eggplant Salad)

Tips & tricks: Serve with flatbread or crackers of your choice.

4 servings – Prep. & cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants

1 clove of garlic

1 firm tomato

1 hard boiled egg

1 fistful of parsley

½ tsp ground pepper

¼ cup olive oil

1 tbs vinegar

3-4 olives to garnish

Salt to taste

Step by step directions:

1. Char the eggplants over an open flame or gas stove, blackening on all sides.

Allow them to cool down. The eggplants must be soft at touch.

2. Gently peel off the eggplant skin and dice finely on a cutting board.

3. Dice the tomato, finely chop the garlic clove.

4. In a salad bowl, combine diced eggplant, diced tomato, finely chopped garlic, and parsley.

5. Make a vinaigrette of olive oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar of choice or squeeze half of a lime.

6. Add the vinaigrette to the eggplant mixture.

7. Present the eggplant salad on a plate with quartered hard boiled egg, add parsley and

olive oil as garnish.

8. The salad is served cold.