August to October is officially eggplant season. Although the delicious vegetables can now be found in the vegetable department of the supermarket all year round, in the high season they are freshly harvested and taste particularly aromatic. So it’s time to use the “eggplant” in numerous dishes. An example? Oven-baked aubergines with spicy couscous – a truly oriental treat reminiscent of the Arabian Nights. The perfect recipe for warm summer days.
The aubergine is the star among vegetables. It catches the eye with its dark, violet color. But the vegetable is not only convincing on the outside – unlike many types of vegetables, it scores with an almost meat-like consistency, is tender, but at the same time juicy and very versatile. Mediterranean cuisine in particular would be inconceivable without it – whether as ratatouille, ciambotta or casserole, the aubergine is a big celebration.
The aubergine originally comes from India and Sri Lanka. In China, however, it was already cultivated in pre-Christian times, usually fried in lots of oil and eaten well stewed with garlic and soy sauce. The Saracens met them in the Arab countries and brought them to Spain in the 13th century. Because the varieties at that time were still yellow or white and shaped like a hen’s egg, the vegetable was called “eggplant”.
The term “aubergine” probably goes back to the Catalan term for this vegetable. From Spain, the eggplant made its way over the next two centuries, first to Italy and then to all of Europe, where it became an important part of Mediterranean cuisine.
In the country of origin India, the aubergine is mainly found in curries. However, it is also served whole, fresh out of the oven, often with tomatoes, onions and ginger.
The aubergine is one of the nightshade plants, but from a botanical point of view the aubergine is a berry. Unlike its “conspecifics”, it is not suitable for raw consumption, and it also differs from them in terms of taste and appearance. Nevertheless, she is by no means less healthy. The eggplant is rich in minerals such as potassium and manganese and also has a high content of caffeic acid, which has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. Last but not least, with 90 percent water content, the aubergine is a real slimmer.
Since the aubergine develops its fine aromas particularly well in the oven, we also use this method of preparation in this recipe. In addition to the incomparable roasted aromas, using the oven has another advantage: you save time and work. Because while the eggplants are stewing in the oven, you can do the rest of the cooking and washing up in record time.
The roasted aubergines are paired with couscous, a staple of North African cuisine made from the semolina of wheat, barley or millet. Curry, garlic and parsley give the nutritious staple a wonderfully spicy note, while turmeric gives the grain an intense yellow color. Fresh red onions and parsley complete the dish with a fresh, spicy note and create a great color contrast to the couscous and aubergine. A true delight for the eyes and taste buds.
This recipe takes you on a culinary journey into the kitchen of oriental spices and aromas – made quickly, full of fresh ingredients and truly tasty. You will never want to prepare the aubergine any other way.
