These beautifully soft cooked aubergines layered with yogurt, tomatoes and peppers make a delicious vegetarian side dish. They're perfect as part of a mezze meal as well as to go with a spicy curry or stew.
This dish is not the kind of dish I make a lot as I tend to eat aubergines in hot dishes or blitz them into baba ghanoush. This is a more hearty side dish, and not the prettiest either. However, it is really tasty.
How is it different from baba ghanoush?
In baba ghanoush the aubergines are baked and then the flesh is blitzed with tahini, garlic, lemon and spices.
In this Afghan aubergine side dish the main ingredients are aubergine and yogurt. It doesn't have a lot of spices, just a little cayenne pepper.
Is is like a raita?
Yes, it is more similar to a raita as far as the ingredients go. However, in a raita the aubergine would typically be cut into smaller pieces rather than in slices.
What ingredients do you need?
To make this layered Afghan dish of aubergines in yogurt you'll need:
- an aubergine
- one or two tomatoes
- a little red or yellow pepper
- yogurt
- cayenne pepper
- salt
- oil
How do you make aubergines in yogurt?
There is a full recipe card further down the post. However, to make this dish you basically need to slice the aubergines and fry them on both sides.
Then add the sliced tomatoes and peppers and continue to cook gently in a little water.
Once everything is cooked, you can assemble the dish by layering the aubergine slices and yogurt in a serving dish.
What can you serve this with?
This vegetarian aubergine side dish is great with so many different meals. It is lovely as part of mezze meal. Why not make a few dips and serve it with bread, olives and salads.
It's also a refreshingly cooling side dish to go with a hot and spicy curry. Or a less spicy curry too if you don't like too much heat!
I serve this with an Afghan lamb stew which to be honest is really a curry. I just happened to call it a stew in my post! It really is worth making as the two recipes are great together.
Both recipes were inspired by recipes on Aghan Online.
How long does it stay fresh for?
You can store this dish in the fridge for up to three days. However, after the first day, some of the yogurt may begin to separate a little and so it might not look as appetising. Because the aubergine is in layers it is harder to stir any separated yogurt back into the dish.
More cold side dishes you might like
If you like this Afghan aubergine and yogurt recipe then you might also like one of these side dishes:
Or this aubergine in chilli bean paste?
Recipe
Afghan Aubergines in Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 aubergine
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1-2 tomatoes thinly sliced
- ¼ red or yellow pepper thinly sliced
- 200 ml yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Slice the aubergine lengthwise. Salt slightly and leave for 30 minutes. Then mop the moisture up using kitchen towel.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the aubergine slices on both sides until lightly browned.
- Lay slices of pepper and tomato on top of the aubergine. Sprinkle with the cayenne pepper. Add a little water and leave to simmer for about 10 minute until the water has almost all evaporated.
- Put a little yogurt in the bottom of a serving dish. Carefully add a layer of aubergine, peppers and tomatoes from the frying pan.
- Season and add a layer of yogurt. Add another layer vegetables then yogurt.
- Serve as a side dish or with flatbread.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Mikey
This side dish was a slight departure from what I usually do in the kitchen, and it turned out alright. Since the meal it was accompanying was already yoghurt-based, I decided to forgo the yoghurt for this recipe. That had it be slightly smokey in flavour, which added something to it.
Corina Blum
It sounds like it turned out really well even without the yogurt. Thanks for letting me know.