Brinjal Chops & Pineapple Grills served with a Cous Cous Salad

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There is no missing out on Braai day also known as heritage day…take a look 🙂  I’ve left them charred and rustic cos it taste so good 😉

Preparation: 15 minutes     Cooking time:  30 minutes     Serves:  4

INGREDIENTS

2 large brinjals sliced 1 ½ cm thick lengthwise

1 Small pineapple peeled and into 1 cm disks

Salt

1 tsp (5ml) Chilli powder

1 tsp (5ml) Chilli flakes

Olive oil for cooking

For the marinade

1 medium onion

1 tbsp (15ml) roughly chopped garlic

1 tbsp (15ml) roughly chopped ginger

45 tender curry leaves

¼ cup fresh coriander leaves

1-3 green chillies (adjust according to heat tolerance)

1 tbsp (15ml) tamarind pulp soaked in 45ml water

1 tsp (5ml) black bean paste

2 tsp (10ml) rice vinegar

1 ½ tsp (7.5ml) brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil

This is how:  Remove the tamarind seeds and pulp and just used the extract.

Place all the above ingredients in grinder accept for the black bean paste, rice vinegar, sugar and oil.

Grind until a rough paste is formed. Add the black bean paste, rice vinegar and sugar. Grind ingredients until smooth.  Decant in a bowl, season with salt and pour in the olive oil.  Give it a good mix.

Place the brinjal slices into a large flat container and slather the marinade covering both sides of the brinjal.

Grill the brinjals in a heavy based outdoor grill pan  on an open fire for a braai   or                                                           Heat a large pan on medium to hot heat.  Add a tablespoon of oil and place brinjals in the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook the brinjals for 3-5 minutes on each side.  The pan does tend to dry out so add a teaspoon of oil at a time to ensure even cooking.  When adding the next batch of brinjals, removed the charred bits of marinade. Once this is done, wipe out the pan and lightly oil it.  Heat the pan on medium again and pan grill the pineapples for 2-3 minutes on both sides.  Once they are grilled, place them on a plate and season with salt and dust with chilli powder.

Cous Cous Salad

1 ½ cups (375ml) uncooked cous cous

3 cups (750ml) boil water

1 glug olive oil

20 mini Italian tomatoes

1 medium carrot finely cubed

1 small green pepper finely cubed

1 knob of vegan or  butter vegan margarine

10 cm piece cucumber sliced into quarters

1/2 cup of cubed vegan feta cheese (Optional)

1 tsp (5ml) salt

Few grinds black pepper

Let’s cook 🙂 

Place the cous cous in a bowl and pour in the boiling water.  Give it a good stir with a fork – cover with cling wrap until the water is fully absorbed.

Once the cous cous is ready.  In a pan, heat the oil on medium heat.  Toss in the tomatoes and carrots – cook for a minute or two, just until the tomatoes start to burst.   Add the peppers and cook for 30 seconds.  Toss in the butter and turn of the heat.

Pour the entire mixture over the cous cous.

Toss in the cucumber and crumble in the feta cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.

Gently stir with a fork, mixing in all the ingredients.

Serve with brinjal chops and Chilli pineapple grills

some step by step pics

ingredients for Brinjal chops

Ready to grind

Partially ground Marinade with black bean paste, coriander & cumin powder

Smother Brinjal with marinade

Pan fry brinjal chops…the charred bits adds loads of flavour 🙂