Quick Pickled Eggplants

To prepare quick pickled eggplants, there is no need to keep the vegetables under pressure for a day and then wait for them to marinate. Without prior preparation, the cut pieces of eggplant are boiled for a few minutes and then marinated with other vegetables for 6 hours. Sweet and bitter peppers, carrots with onions, and of course, garlic with herbs make the taste of eggplants particularly piquant and attractive.

Yield: 6 servings.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes + 6 hours for marinating.

Caloric Content: 120 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Ingredients

• eggplants – 500 g;
• bell pepper – 1 pc;
• hot pepper – 0.5 pc;
• white onion – 100 g;
• fresh parsley, dill – a bunch;
• odorless vegetable oil – 50 ml (for frying the peppers and onions);
• carrot – 100 g;
• lemon juice – 1 tbsp;
• khmeli-suneli – 1.5-2 tsp.

For the marinade:

• odorless vegetable oil – 50 ml;
• 9% vinegar – 2 tbsp;
• sugar – 1 tbsp;
• rock salt – 1 tsp (without a heap);
• fragrant peppercorns – 6-8 pcs;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• drinking water – 2 tbsp;
• bay leaf – 1 pc.

Preparation

1. Prepare the vegetables from the list for quick pickled eggplants. There is no need to peel the eggplants, otherwise the pieces will not hold their shape and will fall apart. The amount of hot pepper can be adjusted to your taste.

2. Prepare the ingredients for the marinade. It is permissible to replace 9% vinegar with 6% vinegar, but in that case, you will need 3 tablespoons. The amount of salt in the marinade is small, but the eggplants will be salted a bit during boiling.

3. Cut the eggplants into thick strips (about 1.5 centimeters thick and approximately 6 centimeters long). Try to keep the skin on each piece.

4. Boil about 1.5 liters of water, then add 1 teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of lemon juice (this will not only add a fresh taste to the fruits but will also prevent them from darkening).

5. When the water boils again, dip the eggplants into it. Use a spoon to help them submerge. Boil the pieces for 5-6 minutes (no more).

6. Then transfer them to a colander and let the water drain off.

7. Meanwhile, slice the onion into thin half-rings.

8. In a separate dish, grate the carrot into long strips (a special grater for Korean carrots will help with this). Sprinkle the resulting shavings with a little salt (a small pinch is enough) and let them sit – the salt will make the carrot soft and elastic.

9. Cut the bell pepper into long strips.

10. Finely chop the hot pepper.

11. Mince the fresh herbs.

12. In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the onion. Fry it until it slightly changes color.

13. After that, add the sweet and hot peppers to the sauté.

14. Sauté everything for about 2 minutes, until the aroma of the pepper appears – it should remain firm and crisp after marinating.

15. For the marinade, combine the vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, fragrant peppercorns, bay leaf, add water, and crush the garlic with a press.

16. Bring the marinade to a boil and remove from heat. Stir the contents.

17. In a large bowl, combine the eggplants with the carrot.

18. Transfer the peppers and onions from the frying pan into the bowl.

19. Add khmeli-suneli and fresh herbs.

20. Pour all with the hot marinade.

21. Gently mix the vegetables, evenly distributing all ingredients.

22. Then transfer the mixture to a container with a lid, press down gently with a spoon to pack it, and refrigerate to marinate for 6 hours. It should be noted: the longer the eggplants sit in the marinade, the brighter and richer the taste they will acquire.

Bright and aromatic quick pickled eggplants will add variety even to the most ordinary dishes. The combination of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy flavors makes this appetizer very appealing and tasty. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a whole month, although it is usually consumed in 1 day.