Middle Eastern Eggplant With Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch thick round slices
• salt
• olive oil, for shallow frying

Garlic Sauce

• 5 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons ground almonds
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 slices white bread
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
• salt

Directions

1. 1

   Sprinkle some salt over the brinjal slices and keep aside.

2. 2

   Cut each garlic clove into two pieces and soak in vinegar for 8-10 minutes.

3. 3

   Soak the bread in water then squeeze out the water completely. Crumble with hands and set aside.

4. 4

   Next, remove the garlic from vinegar and pound the garlic pieces with a little salt to form a paste.

5. 5

   Gradually add the crumbled bread alternating with a little vinegar.

6. 6

   When it is well ground into a smooth paste, mix in the ground almonds, olive oil, remaining vinegar, lemon juice and salt to taste.

7. 7

   Beat well to obtain a thick creamy consistency.

8. 8

   This forms the garlic sauce.

9. 9

   Then,towel dry the brinjal slices and shallow fry them.

10. 10

    Arrange the fried brinjal slices on a flat serving dish, spoon a dollop of garlic sauce over each slice.

11. 11

    Garnish with mint leaves.