Make this salad for your next picnic, party, lunch, or even as a simple cold dinner and enjoy it to the last bite.
Prep Time::20 mins
Cook Time::25 mins
Additional Time:: 1 hr
Total Time:: 1 hr 45 mins
Servings::8
Yield::8 servings
Ingredients
5 cups water, or as needed
2 tablespoons salt
3 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 (6 inch) pita bread rounds
1 cup vegetable oil for frying, or as needed
3 ¼ cups plain yogurt
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ medium lemon, juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons oil
¼ cup sliced almonds
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
1 (29 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
Directions
Pour water and 2 tablespoons salt into a large bowl. Add cubed eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and place on paper towel-lines plates until completely dry, about 30 more minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Chop pita bread into 1-inch cubes and place on a baking sheet.
Roast in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes; do not burn. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry eggplant until golden, about 6 minutes per batch. Remove to paper towel-lined plates to drain.
Meanwhile, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small frying pan. Add almonds and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring often, until nicely brown and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
Place lettuce on a serving platter. Layer with eggplant, chickpeas, and roasted pita bread. Pour yogurt mixture over top and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve at room temperature or cold.
Cook's Notes:
You could adjust the amounts of any of the ingredients to your liking. I sometimes add more chickpeas and almonds.
I always add the bread and yogurt right before serving to stop the bread getting soggy.
Editor's Notes:
Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of salt water brine. The actual amount consumed will vary.
We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. Amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.