The balanjay skin is where much of the nutrition lives, so don’t peel it — let it soften and melt into your dish, bringing all that goodness with it.
Eggplants or Balanjay as we know it, is one of my favourite vegetables. This vegetable is ready for harvesting by mid-summer and continues growing in abundance until early fall, just about that time when the heat of the sun is starting to weaken.
This was a staple in our home when I was growing up. We had it at least twice a week, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner…that is how versatile it is. Breakfast would consist of it being roasted over an open flame and smashed with an assortment of masala-brick aromatics and spices. Lunchtime servings would be fry balanjay or balanjay curry, with dal and rice, and dinnertime could be any which way served with breads of some sort. Oh yeah, plus there’s barra, roasted balanjay, choka, and stuffed balanjay. Yummy!
Balanjay needs lots of sun, like us Caribbean people, and lots of water. This is a tropical food if ever there was one, really! There is so much goodness in that rich purple skin, so much taste in the flesh, which by the way takes on seasonings really well.
Eggplant is delicious and good for us. It’s rich in fibre, low in calories, and packed with antioxidants like nasunin (in the deep purple skin).
Nasunin is an antioxidant compound found primarily in the purple skin of eggplants, known for its potent ability to protect against oxidative damage and inflammation. It has been shown to protect brain cells from damage, potentially reducing cognitive decline, and has anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic properties
The skin is where much of the nutrition lives, so don’t peel it — let it soften and melt into your dish, bringing all that goodness with it. When fried gently, curried, or stewed in tomatoes, balanjay becomes a healing food as well as a comfort food.
To Serve with:
- Hot rice, Dal and Cucumbers Salad
- Fried bakes or roti
Note: If you are adding a protein like chicken or beef, then please season and fry off the natural liquids beforehand – then start the recipe. • 2 large eggplants (balanjay), diced into ¼ inch squares, or into 2-inch thin strips 1. Sprinkle diced eggplant with a little salt and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse, squeeze out moisture and set aside. To Serve with:
If you are using shrimps, do a quick sauté, remove and save for the end – toss with the balanjay after you have removed the pot from the fire.
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium onion, sliced and diced
• 1 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 fat wiri-wiri peppers or ½ tsp minced habanero pepper
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper + 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce + 1 tablespoon soya sauce + 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• A few sprigs of fine thyme or broadleaf thyme (optional)
• Splash of broth (if needed)Instructions
2. In a large frying pan, heat oil and garlic together over medium heat. Sauté garlic and add onions. Fry until fragrant and golden. Add the tomatoes and continue to sauté until cooked.
3. Add the brown sauce and tomato paste mix and stir well.
4. Add eggplant and stir to coat in the fragrant red oil. Cover with a tight lid and let it soften and catch a little colour — about 5–8 minutes.
5. Add the thyme leaves and finely chopped wiri-wiri peppers. Stir again making sure you lift from the bottom to the top.
6. Cover the pan and let it simmer gently on low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth if needed.
7. Cook until the eggplant breaks down into a soft, almost jammy consistency and has taken on the colour of browning sauces. By now, the tomatoes have melted into a rich sauce.
8. Taste and adjust salt or heat.Notes
• Hot rice, Dal and Cucumbers Salad
• Fried bakes or roti
Note: If you are adding a protein like chicken or beef, then please season and fry off the natural liquids beforehand - then start the recipe.
If you are using shrimps, do a quick sauté, remove and save for the end - toss with the balanjay after you have removed the pot from the fire.