How to pickle Azerbaijani-style eggplants for the winter, pickling recipes, and shelf life

Everyone should try incredible Azerbaijani-style marinated or salted eggplant at least once. It's worth it, first and foremost, for the taste. Marinated vegetables are very healthy, containing numerous vitamins and minerals. The human body always needs these nutrients.

Azerbaijani-style eggplant pickling for the winter

The prepared dish has a piquant flavor, which comes from various vegetables, herbs, spices, and greens. The marinade contains spicy notes, and processing eggplants The cooking method differs from other similar dishes. Most recipes call for marinating the raw vegetables. Cooking Azerbaijani eggplant requires pre-heating the eggplants.

This procedure is performed to remove bitterness from vegetables. Otherwise, the dish will be less tasty and will taste bitter. Vegetables are salted and left to soak in water. After this, they are boiled, baked, or fried.

Selecting and preparing the main ingredients

The main ingredient is eggplant, so it has special requirements. Each variety differs not only in shape but also in tenderness and flavor. They can have a bitter, characteristic flavor, or none at all. There are two types: Bulgarian and delicacy. For this pickled dish, it is recommended to use young Bulgarian varieties.

How to pickle stuffed eggplants, Azerbaijani style

There are countless recipes, each with its own fans. Some prefer a spicy flavor, lots of spices, and fillings. Others prefer the classic cooking technique. Each dish is delicious and has its own unique characteristics.

Traditional recipe

Ingredients for the recipe:

• 1 kg of raw material;
• 100 g garlic;
• 120 g salt;
• 1.5 cups of grape vinegar.

Preparation of the dish:

1. The eggplants are washed and the stems are removed.
2. An incision is made along the length of the vegetable and the pulp is scraped off.
3. The finished eggplants are placed in a saucepan and covered with a brine of water, sugar and salt.
4. When the mixture boils, leave for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
5. The water is drained from the pan, and the blue ones are placed in a colander to allow excess liquid to drain.
6. Once the vegetables have cooled, they are pressed down to remove any remaining liquid. Blue ones are left in this position in the kitchen for at least 12 hours.
7. Then they move on to preparing the minced meat with which they will stuff the vegetables.
8. Garlic and salt are crushed in a mortar.
9. Then add dried mint and stir.
10. Each eggplant is stuffed with the prepared filling and placed in a glass container.
11. Once all the vegetables are laid out, they are poured with vinegar on top and placed in the refrigerator to marinate.

The eggplants will be ready to eat in 4 hours. They will be soft but still firm. The flesh will be infused with the garlic and brine, acquiring a piquant flavor. Before eating, vegetables are sprinkled with fresh herbs.

Spicy eggplant with sweet pepper

This recipe differs from the previous one not only in the ingredients but also in the technique. The eggplants are sliced ​​and sprinkled with salt, leaving them to marinate for at least two hours. The bell pepper, garlic, and hot pepper are peeled and minced. Sugar is mixed with vegetable oil, salt, and vinegar. The marinade is brought to a boil and the eggplants are added. The dish is simmered for 30 minutes, after which the remaining vegetables are added and cooked until soft.

The dish can be eaten after cooking or used for preparation for the winter.

To do this, pour the mixture into sterilized jars, making sure there are no empty spaces. Then, roll the jars up with a key and cover with a blanket, leaving them to cool completely.

With garlic

The resulting dish is mild and has a subtle spicy flavor. The eggplants are prepared in the same way as in the previous recipe. Garlic mixed with salt is added to the cooked vegetables and they are then placed in jars. A bay leaf is added to each jar and the brine is poured over the mixture.

Cover the jars with a light cloth, but not with a lid, and leave at room temperature for 3 days. Blue porcini mushrooms can be pickled faster by increasing the room temperature. Check the dish periodically for doneness. If a sour taste develops, cover the jars with lids and refrigerate.

With carrots

Pickled eggplants in combination with this vegetable, like carrots, are incredibly delicious. Grated carrots are used to stuff eggplants and also jarred. This recipe is suitable for making winter preserves. You can skip sterilization and cover the glass jars with nylon lids.

The batch is divided into two parts so that you can enjoy the vegetables in the coming days and save some for the winter.

With pickled cranberries

This additional ingredient will add incredible flavor to the finished dish. If soaked cranberries aren't available, regular cranberries are used. However, in the former case, they are used for their unique tartness. This can be prepared for both daily consumption and for winter storage.

With greens

Another eggplant recipe that gets its spicy flavor from the herbs. You can vary the ingredients to suit your taste. This recipe calls for just eggplant and herbs, without adding any other vegetables. For a more piquant flavor, minced garlic is a must.

How and how long are eggplants stored?

The shelf life depends on the preparation method. Eggplants are refrigerated and can be enjoyed at any time. Sterilization allows you to preserve the product for the winter. In the former case, the dish can last up to 3 months. Stored in sealed jars in a cellar or basement, eggplants can be stored for a year or more.