Eggplant Pickles

Bored with your everyday traditional dill pickles? Try eggplant pickles with a texture and garlicky flavor like no other. Eggplants are boiled and stuffed with garlic and red pepper before they are fermented.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds small (baby) eggplants
  • 1 head garlic
  • 3 tablespoons ground red pepper
  • a pinch of salt and pepper

Fermentation solution

  • For every 2 quarts water
  • 3 tablespoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar

Directions

  1. Trim the head of the eggplants and rise in some water. immerse in boiling water and leave on medium heat for 5 minutes. The eggplants should be immersed all the time. You could put a small ceramic dish over them so that they do not float.
  2. Meanwhile prepare the stuffing. Peel and mash the garlic adding a pinch of salt and pepper. Then add the ground red pepper or paprika and mix well
  3. Drain and cool the eggplants and stuff them with the garlic-pepper mixture. With your index finger make a small dent in the side of each eggplant (eggplants should be soft but not mashed). Stuff half a teaspoon of the mixture inside every eggplant (you can add more for an intense flavor if you want).
  4. Arrange eggplants in jars and pour the solution.
  5. Close the jar very tightly and leave for 2 weeks to pickle.
  6. Perfect with grilled meats and tomato stews like Bami (Okra Stew).