Baklajon Salat is the Uzbek name given to this temptingly rich-tasting Uzbek Aubergine Salad. Aubergine is available in abundance in Uzbekistan and there are many appetising Uzbek dishes that use them. There are many variations of Uzbek Aubergine salads that use different ingredients but will all have the same name!
Is it Aubergine or Eggplant?
Aubergine is referred to as eggplant in American English. So, it can often be confusing to decide which of the 2 names to use if your audience is both English and American. I came to the decision to use aubergine as I am UK based. Regardless of what you call it, this original Aubergine Salad Recipe is so delicious & easy to enjoy all year round.
Prep & Storage Tips for this Salad
You can prepare this Uzbek aubergine salad ahead of time as the taste just gets better the longer it sits. You can prepare it up to 2 days in advance. Just keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it should last up to 4 days.
Can I Substitute any of the ingredients in this Uzbek Aubergine Salad?
You can substitute the herbs, fresh coriander, parsley and dill are all frequently used in Uzbek salads and all work well in this one. If you don’t have or don’t like spring onions, you can leave them out or use any combination of herbs you like and add the amount to taste. As mentioned before, there are many types of Uzbek salads that use aubergine with different ingredients, and they are all called Aubergine salads. However, in this recipe, aubergine, cucumber and tomatoes are the main ingredients so don’t be trying to substitute those. 🙂
Uzbek Aubergine Salad – Baklajon Salat
Ingredients
- 3-4 Medium Asian Aubergines (eggplants) the long & thin type
- ½ Red capsicum pepper
- ½ Green capsicum pepper
- 4 Asian cucumbers (the small type)
- 1-2 Tomatoes
- 4 Green onion/spring onion sprigs
- 1 cup Chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Garlic cloves grated
- 1 tsp Crushed coriander
- ½ tsp Salt season to taste
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce optional
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds optional
Instructions
- Wash the aubergines, remove the ends and slice them in half horizontally and then slice them in half again vertically. The aubergine should then be a good size to cut into at least 3cm thick chunky chip shapes. (between 5-7cm long)
- Deep fry the aubergine and absorb any excess oil with kitchen tissue when done. (you can choose to oven-bake them in olive oil for a healthier option)
- Place the aubergine in a deep salad mixing bowl and add the vegetables to the bowl as you prepare them.
- Slice the green and red peppers in half vertically and then cut each piece horizontally slanted into semi-longer strips.
- Wash the cucumbers and slice the ends off, cut them in half long ways and deseed them slightly not taking too much off. Then slice into strips.
- Slice the tomatoes into quarters with the core side up, deseed the quaters and slice in similar strips.
- Wash the spring onion sprigs, and gather them together on a chopping board to remove the root ends and slice slanted into about 3-4cm strips
- Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a pan, turn off the heat and add the grated garlic and coriander seeds to the oil, give it a quick stir and add to the salad bowl and give it a good mix. Add the vinegar, salt and soy sauce if using and blend into the salad.
- Wash and chop any fresh herbs you are using and either add to the mix or leave for sprinkling on top.
- Serve and garnish with sesame seeds