3 Best Tatar-Style Eggplant Recipes for the Winter

Eggplants contain many microelements, vitamins, and organic compounds. People once believed that these vegetables promoted longevity because their potassium content improved cardiovascular function, increased blood flow, and prevented thrombosis. Among the many recipes, the most popular is preparing Tatar-style eggplant for the winter. This salad will grace the holiday table and complement any dish, especially meat dishes.

How to cook Tatar-style eggplant for the winter

Canned eggplants are an unusual, piquant, and flavorful appetizer. The cooking methods are simple, accessible even to a novice cook. The dish consists of stewed eggplant and peppers, served with tomato puree. The Tatar recipe calls for slicing the tomatoes, which can also be parboiled and peeled.

Basic requirements for ingredients

The flavor and spiciness depend on the careful selection of ingredients. The fruits should be oval, small, and young. Overripe vegetables are not recommended, as they contain large seeds, which will reduce the flavor and quality of the preserve. All ingredients should be firm and free of damage, blemishes, or disease.

Due to the presence of a toxic substance – solanine, vegetables can taste bitter.

You can prevent bitterness by piercing and salting the fruits in a water-salt solution (1 tbsp salt, 1 liter of water).

Preparing containers for canning

The container must be free of damage, cracks, or chips. Pre-wash the containers in soapy water, wipe them thoroughly with a sponge, and rinse them several times. Allow the jars to air dry upside down.

When canning, containers and lids must be sterilized. When sealing, metal lids are preferred; they are more airtight than polyethylene ones.

The best cooking recipes

The Tatar recipe for eggplants gives them a fantastic flavor and aroma. The main ingredients are bell peppers in tomato puree. Many cooks love this salad for its simplicity, quick preparation, and readily available ingredients.

Classic recipe

There are many ways to cook eggplants. Below is a classic version of Tatar-style eggplant.

What you need:

• 2 kg eggplants;
• 3 kg of tomatoes;
• 1 glass of water;
• 1.5 kg sweet pepper;
• 2 hot peppers;
• 4 pcs. garlic;
• 2 tbsp salt;
• 1 cup sugar;
• 2 tbsp. sunflower oil;
• 1 cup of vinegar.

How to cook:

• tomatoes are washed, peeled, passed through a meat grinder, filtered, mixed with salt and water;
• Next comes the sugar and vegetable oil. Mix everything thoroughly and leave for 3-4 hours;
• garlic and hot pepper are minced in a meat grinder, sweet peppers are cut into slices, blue peppers - into squares;
• Place the tomato juice on the stove, stir constantly, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, simmer for a few more minutes.
• Add the chopped vegetables to the juice, stir, and bring to a boil. After boiling, simmer for another 40-45 minutes;
• Vinegar is poured into the hot liquid, stirred, and removed from the stove.

Pour the liquid into sterilized containers, seal them tightly, and cover with a blanket. After 4 days, store the jars permanently.

Quick cooking method

You can make this appetizer even if you're short on time. This quick eggplant recipe requires the following ingredients:

• 3 liters of tomato juice or paste diluted with water;
• 2 tbsp salt;
• 1 cup sugar;
• 1 cup vinegar;
• 2 tbsp. sunflower oil;
• 4-5 pieces of garlic;
• 1-2 hot peppers;
• 2 kg of eggplants;
• 12 red peppers.

Cooking steps:

• The juice is boiled with the addition of salt, sugar, oil, and vinegar. Using a blender, chop the garlic and chili pepper;
• after boiling, add sliced ​​red peppers to the mixture;
• The eggplants are cut in half and made into half rings, added to the mixture and boiled for half an hour.

All the above ingredients will make 6 liters of salad. For convenience, it's recommended to divide the ingredients into two portions and cook them separately. This way, you can make the salad even without a large saucepan. However, it does require more cooking time.

Without sterilization

Another low-calorie and vitamin-rich salad is a recipe using ripe fruit. This method doesn't require sterilizing the containers, which helps reduce preparation time.

Components:

• eggplants 1 kg;
• bell pepper 300 g;
• tomatoes 300 g;
• garlic 1-2 pcs.;
• hot pepper 2-3 pcs.;
• vinegar 3 tbsp;
• sunflower oil 4-5 tbsp;
• salt 3-4 tbsp.

Cooking technology:

• Bitterness can be prevented by slicing the fruit into half rings and sprinkling them with salt. Let the vegetables sit for half an hour, then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
• then you need to heat a frying pan with vegetable oil, fry the eggplants, add salt;
• Chili peppers are washed, cut in half, seeds and stems are removed, and sliced;
• Peel the tomatoes and garlic and mince them. Next comes the oil, salt, vinegar, and pepper. Place everything in a metal pan and heat.

Place the salads in the prepared containers and seal. Before storing, turn the jars upside down and cover with a blanket.

How to properly store canned food and for how long

When using plastic lids, glass containers should be refrigerated. They can be stored there for up to three months. Canned products can be stored in a cool, dark place for 1-1.5 years.