047 – Zaalouk – Moroccan Eggplant Salad

Ingredients :

• 1 large eggplant (1 pound)
• 3 tomatoes peeled and diced (1 pound)
• 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar
• 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper (to taste)

Directions :

1. Steps to prepare the eggplant:
   1- Peel and dice the eggplant. You can either peel all the eggplant skin of leave half of it, depending on your taste.
   2- Boil the eggplant cubes in salted water for 20 – 30 minutes.
   3- Drain the eggplant cubes from the water and press them with a spoon until all excess water is released.
2. Steps to prepare the Zaalouk:
   1- On  medium heat, add the tomatoes, eggplant, olive oil, garlic and spices to your pan and cook them for 30 minutes.
   2- Crush the eggplant and tomatoes with a wooden spoon while they are cooking until you end up with a puree.
   3- In the last 5 minutes, add the vinegar to the eggplant and tomatoes puree.
3. Serving:
   Zaalouk is served either hot or cold, with bread. Enjoy!