The best way to improve almost any vegetable is to roast it and eggplant (brinjal) is no exception. Roasted eggplant is absolutely delicious especially when it’s all golden and caramelized.
It has flavors similar to mushrooms and can be eaten alone or in a variety of dishes.
- Layer it in vegetarian lasagne
- Use it with potato slices in Greek moussaka
- Mash it and use it as a spread or dip
- Make eggplant parmigiana (pasta dish)
- Stir it into a curry
- Use it as a filling for an omelet
- Add it to a stew or soup
How To Roast Eggplant On An Electric Stove?
We realize that many of you don’t have access to an outdoor grill or gas stove, which is why we are giving you instructions here for roasting eggplant on an electric stove. We give instructions here for using both the hob and the oven.
First, instructions for how to roast eggplant in the electric oven:
- The only ingredients necessary are olive oil, salt, and pepper. If you really want extra flavor, you can use a little fresh thyme but it isn’t needed. Roasted brinjal has so much flavor already.
- In the old days, people pre-salted eggplant to remove bitterness. This isn’t necessary today because the new hybrids are not bitter. Feel free to skip that step.
- First, wash and dry the eggplant to remove any dust and chemicals. Dry it with a clean kitchen towel. To roast it whole, prick it all over with a fork to endure it doesn’t explode.
- Now, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While this is happening, rub the eggplant all over with salt, pepper, and olive oil and set it on a baking tray.
- Put it in the oven and roast it until it is soft all the way through. The time will depend on the size of the eggplant – anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes. Use it for dips and spreads.
- To roast pieces or slices, cut the eggplant into bite-sized chunks or thick slices. There is no need to peel the pieces. Brush these with oil, salt, and pepper and put them in a single layer on a baking tray. Line the tray with parchment to prevent sticking. Roast the pieces until golden and caramelized. (About 20 minutes.)
Second, instructions for how to roast the eggplant on the electric stovetop:
- First, prepare your stove so you will not end up with a huge mess to clean up. Remove the stovetop and cover it with a big piece of heavy foil.
- Wash and dry the eggplant. Do not prick the skin but simply leave it whole. Do not oil or salt the eggplant.
- Turn the stove on and put the eggplant on. Leave it for five minutes then turn it slightly. (Use kitchen tongs to turn it.) Keep doing this until the eggplant is very soft and has collapsed. The skin should resemble burnt paper.
- Remove the eggplant from the stove and leave it in a bowl to cool. Once cool, cut it in half, put it into a strainer, and leave it to drain for an hour. Peel it once it is cool then mash it and use it in dips or spreads.
Additional Tips
- Many people aren’t sure how to choose a nice eggplant. Look for smaller ones that are firm and shiny. The long ones are better than the round ones. Young, small ones are better than large ones which have many pips. The seeds are bitter so the fewer, the better.
- Eggplant is best roasted over high heat as it then cooks quickly and retains its shape instead of becoming mushy.
We hope our instructions will help you with roasting this delicious vegetable on your electric stove. Let us know in the comment section how it goes!