Fried Eggplant and Green Peppers Recipe: Easy & Homemade

Fried eggplant and green peppers (patlıcan ve biber kızartması) is a summer Turkish meze of striped, salt-soaked eggplant slices fried in oil until light brown, served with a quick tomato sauce and yogurt-garlic sauce. The trick is salting and drying the eggplant first so it fries up tender instead of greasy.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 6 eggplants (about 2 kg)
• 4 tablespoons salt
• 6 medium green peppers
• 2 cups light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 6 fresh parsley sprigs
• Yogurt-Garlic Sauce

Tomato Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

Method

1. Cut the stems off the eggplants, then peel off half the skin in alternating lengthwise strips to create a striped effect. Cut the eggplants into ½ -inch-thick slices crosswise or diagonally or lengthwise, so you have pieces of different shapes. Add the salt to 2 quarts cold water. Soak the eggplant slices in the salted water for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan, and cook the garlic, stirring it with a wooden spoon, until it’s softened but not brown, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, cover the saucepan, and cook gently for 2 more minutes. Set aside the sauce.
3. Remove the eggplant slices from the water with a slotted spoon, and pat them dry with paper towels. Dry the whole green peppers well also.
4. Heat 1 cup of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. It is important that the oil be hot enough (about 350-365°F) so the eggplant does not become greasy. To test the hot oil, dip a piece of eggplant into the oil, taking care not to burn yourself; if the oil sizzles, it’s ready. Fry the eggplant slices on both sides until they are light brown, about 2 minutes. Do not crowd them in the pan. Remove them from the oil and put them to drain on paper towels. Add more oil to the pan as needed.

Eggplant runs through Turkish cooking, and this fried version sits alongside other staples worth knowing in our guide to Turkish foods and the full Turkish recipes hub. If you want to taste eggplant dishes the way locals eat them, our Taste of Two Continents tour crosses from the Spice Market breakfast in the old city by public ferry to the Kadıköy market on the Asian side.