Cooking Eggplant On a Griddle
Do you want to know how to cook eggplant on a griddle? Many among you might be tempted to ask, why should we be cooking eggplant on a griddle? The answer is: I found out that if I do that on a griddle, it can be done very comfortably. For one thing, a griddle provides great heat and has low sides for better mixing. Besides, if you are using an electric griddle, you can always have better temperature control to do the cooking in the right way without spoiling it.
The facts about cooking eggplants on the griddle can be found in this post. It contains all the information you need to cook eggplants well.
How to cook eggplant on a griddle
There are many good things I do when I griddle eggplants. First, I cut the eggplant into thin slices. Then I coat the slices with olive oil. The olive oil should not be poured directly onto the griddle.
The oil will accumulate and affect the taste of the different slices of eggplant. Then I let the eggplant to caramelize before I start turning the individual slices. Next, I wait until I see the golden color before removing it from the heat.
Does the eggplant have to be peeled?
Not always, to be frank. When the eggplant is a bit older, it’s a good idea to peel it first. Because the older the eggplant is, the harder the skin of it. A hard skin can ruin the taste and texture of the dish.
I find that the skin of a young eggplant is very thin and delicate. In this case, the skin should not be peeled, as this soft skin provides texture to the vegetables during cooking.
Do I need to remove the eggplant seeds?
I have found that it is a good idea to get rid of the eggplant seeds before cooking. The eggplant is a member of the nightshade family tree. This is the reason why a lot of vegetables of this family have bitter tasting seeds.
When I removed the eggplant seeds, I discovered that my eggplant dish tasted much better than before. It is not necessary to remove the seeds, but if you want to improve the taste of your food, you should do it.
Do I have to salt the eggplant before cooking?
It is not necessary to salt eggplants before cooking. I have discovered over the years that salt is only good if you cook an old eggplant. Salt doesn’t really change the taste, but it helps improve the taste perception of the vegetables.
Anyway, if you want to add salt, you should cut the eggplant into the size and shape required for the recipe. Then you should place the pieces in a bowl and add the salt generously. Leave the salt to stand for an hour before rinsing.
What happens when you salt the eggplant?
What I have found is that salt does not really eliminate the bitter taste of the eggplant. This is because salt itself gives a bitter taste to all the food it touches. If you try to salt the eggplant to remove its bitterness, you are simply adding a more bitter taste to the vegetables.
Trying to salt an eggplant prolongs the cooking process quite a bit.
How do you cook an eggplant without making it soggy?
As you know, eggplants can absorb a lot of oil quickly. The reason for this is the cell structure of the eggplant. Air pockets just soak the oil. There are a few good ways to prevent the eggplant from getting soaked:
- Put a little oil directly on the eggplant…
- Pre-cook your slices of eggplant in the microwave.
- Add salt to the slices
- Place the slices of eggplant in some milk and leave to soak for 1 to 2 hours.
How to cut an eggplant for griddling?
A lot depends on the recipe you follow, but I found out that there are three good ways to cut an eggplant when you are about to roast the vegetable on the griddle. First, you can dice them. That way you get small pieces that cook very quickly.
Secondly, you can cut the eggplant into round-shaped pieces. Third, you can make long strips of eggplant and put them on the griddle. In any case, the stalk and flower must be removed before cutting.
Why is my eggplant hard?
What makes eggplants hard during cooking is the cooking method itself. I have seen that cooks use eggplants that are too big and too old and they do not even cook the vegetables for long. An under-cooked eggplant should always be a little hard.
Remember that eggplants are hard to tackle and it takes years of practice to cook them well.
How do you remove moisture from eggplants?
The best technique I have found is to cut the eggplant into thin slices and place them on a cookie tray. Salt one side first and let the salt remove most of the moisture.
Then I turn the eggplant slices over and salt the other side. Then I put the slices between two flat plates and squeeze out the remaining moisture. After that, I rinse the salt off and prepare for the cooking of the eggplant.
Can you cut the eggplant in advance?
No, you shouldn’t. If you want to cook the next day and shorten the preparation time, I don’t recommend cutting the eggplant in advance. Vegetables turn brown very easily. Brown has no have any effect on the taste, only on the presentation.
I recommend cutting only a few hours before cooking. Then keep the sliced pieces in cold water and put the bowl in the fridge. This will prevent the exposed sides of the vegetables from browning.
Fried eggplant on Griddle recipes
Here’s a recipe I would like to share with my readers.
- Peel the eggplant and cut it into slices a quarter of an inch thick.
- Stack the slices and weigh them to extract the juice.
- You should cover the griddle with olive oil.
- Place the eggplant slices in a mixture of flour, salt and pepper and coat the eggplant slices.
- Place the coated slices on the griddle and wait until they are golden brown
- Remove from the griddle and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Sprinkle with cheese and serve to get the added flavor.
Wrapping up
How to cook eggplant on a griddle
Eggplants must be cooked with care. This vegetable is a delicate plant that requires a lot of practice to be cooked well. Everyone has their own preferences. But the above information on how to cook eggplant on a griddle should serve as a guide. It will help you create a delicious eggplant meal which you and your family members can enjoy together. Get going!
Related Post: How to cook sausages on a griddle