Fried Eggplant and Zucchini Cubes with Yogurt and Tomato Sauce

How to prepare fried eggplant and zucchini cubes with yogurt and tomato sauce

1. Cut the eggplant and zucchini into cubes of approximately 1.5 cm. Sprinkle with salt, mix well, then place on paper towels and leave to drain until you finish the sauce.
2. The sauce: in a wide pan, finely chop the onion and sauté in the hot oil until very soft. Add the ginger grated on a fine grater (you need 1/2 teaspoon puree) and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the tomatoes grated on a box grater, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes, until the sauce is well reduced.
4. Blend the sauce in a blender and if you want it very smooth, you can strain it through a sieve to remove the seeds.
6. Heat oil in a wide pan (25 cm or larger) and fry the vegetable cubes in batches, without crowding them. For eggplant you need 3-4 tablespoons oil/batch, and for zucchini, just 1 tablespoon oil/batch. Frying time is about 5 minutes/batch for eggplant and 10 minutes/batch for zucchini. While frying, stir frequently so they brown on all sides.
   * A better method when making larger quantities or simply if you want a lighter version, is to drizzle the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of oil, spread them in a baking tray and roast at 200°C until golden, stirring halfway through baking time (about 25 minutes); when you take them out, if the vegetables seem dry, drizzle with another tablespoon of oil and stir.
7. Transfer all fried vegetables to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste, add cumin and pul biber if you want them spicy. Mix. Let them cool down.
8. To serve: place the fried vegetables on a wide plate (or platter), cover with tomato sauce and then with yogurt. Run a spoon through the sauce, just enough to marble it slightly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. It's good warm or at room temperature, with Lebanese flatbread.

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