These Georgian-style eggplants with nuts are adored by everyone who has tasted the dish at least once. This is one of those dishes that I cook most often when I want to please guests or just make an ordinary evening special.
Tender, soft slices of eggplant, fried to a golden crust, are combined with an aromatic, spicy nut sauce, in which you can feel garlic, cilantro and warm notes of suneli hops. The taste is so bright and multifaceted that even those who don’t really like eggplants ask for supplements.
In Georgia, this dish is called “eggplant with nuts” and is considered a classic. I like that the recipe is relatively simple, but the result is like a restaurant dish.
This is a great cold appetizer that can be prepared in advance and served both at an everyday dinner and at a festive table. Nut sauce makes eggplants hearty, and fresh cilantro adds freshness and flavor.
Cooking time:
Eggplant preparation – 15 minutes (including standing)
Sauce preparation – 10 minutes
Frying – 10-12 minutes
Total time – about 35-40 minutes
Calorie (approximate):
For 100 g of ready-made food – 145-165 kcal
One portion (approximately 150-180 g) – 220-280 kcal
The dish is quite filling thanks to the nuts and oil.
Ingredients (for 3-4 servings):
Large eggplant – 1 pc. (approximately 400-450 g)
Walnuts – 150 g
Garlic – 2-3 cloves
Fresh cilantro – a large bunch (approximately 30-40 g)
Wine vinegar or lemon juice – 1-1.5 tbsp. l.
Suneli hops – ¼–½ tsp.
Salt – to taste
Vegetable oil (or olive) – for frying (approximately 4-5 tbsp. l)
Warm water – 3-5 tbsp. l. (for diluting the sauce)
Optional: take a few sprigs of cilantro for flavor, if of course you like its taste and smell.
How to cook eggplants with nuts in the Georgian-style
Step 1. Preparation of eggplants
Wash the eggplant and cut lengthwise into thin plates about 4-5 mm thick. Lightly salt each plate on both sides, stack them in a bowl, cover with a plate and place a small load on top (for example, a can of water). Leave for 10-15 minutes. During this time, the eggplants will release bitter juice, which will need to be squeezed out. This is an important step so that the dish does not become bitter.
Step 2. Preparation of nut sauce
While the eggplants are resting, make the sauce. Grind 150 g of walnuts and peeled cloves of garlic in a blender or coffee grinder to a fine crumb (not a paste, but a crumb, as is traditional).
Add a tablespoon of wine vinegar or lemon juice, salt and add suneli hops. Gradually pour in warm water (1 spoonful at a time), stirring until the sauce reaches the consistency of thin sour cream. It should be spicy and aromatic. If necessary, add a little more vinegar or lemon juice for acidity.
Finely chop a large bunch of cilantro and add to the nut mass. Mix well. The sauce is ready! It should be thin enough to soak the eggplants well.
Step 3. Frying eggplants
Slightly squeeze the eggplant slices with your hands to remove excess moisture and bitterness. Fry the slices in well-heated oil on both sides until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes on each side). Place the finished eggplants on paper towels to absorb excess fat.
Step 4. Forming the dish
Some people twist eggplants with nuts into tight rolls, or the plates are folded in an “accordion”. However, I do not like this method. So put a spoonful of nut sauce on a third of the slice, then fold the plate over to cover the filling. Add a little more sauce on top and cover with the rest of the plate.
Place the finished eggplants on a large plate. Pour the remaining sauce on top and decorate with whole sprigs of fresh cilantro. The dish looks very appetizing and festive.
Tips:
- Do not make the eggplant slices too thin – they may fall apart during frying.
- If the sauce is too thick, add more warm water. If it is liquid, add more chopped nuts.
- Try adding different spices: a pinch of ground cinnamon or hot paprika for additional depth of flavor.
- Instead of one large eggplant, you can take 2-3 smaller ones – they are often less bitter.
It is also interesting that the recipe is easy to change. Replace some of the walnuts with hazelnuts or almonds. You can add:
- A little fresh basil along with cilantro
- Pomegranate seeds for beauty and acidity
- Finely chopped hot pepper for piquancy
For an easy version (if you are worried about extra calories), you can bake the eggplants in the oven with a minimum amount of oil instead of frying them.
Georgian-style eggplants with nuts taste best cold or at room temperature. Serve them as an independent snack or together with other Georgian dishes: lobio, khachapuri, fresh vegetables and greens. Perfectly combined with pita bread or fresh bread.
My family likes to eat them with croutons. I make them myself from pieces of bread that I sprinkle with spices and dry in the oven.
The finished dish is perfectly stored in the refrigerator in a closed container for up to 2-3 days. The taste even becomes richer the next day. However, this recipe is not for freezing – the eggplants will lose their texture.
Cook with love, don’t spare the greens and nuts and enjoy the bright Georgian flavor.