Oven Baked eggplant Fries with Cream cheese buttermilk dip

Crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside! These oven baked eggplant fries served with cream cheese buttermilk sauce/dip are so amazing. The perfect healthy snack!

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients for the fries 

• 1 Medium sized eggplant
• 1/2 Teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder / red chilli flakes or paprika
• 1/4 Teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon mixed dried herbs
• 1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
•  1/2 Tablespoon tamarind paste ( tamarind pairs beautifully with eggplant. However you may skip this ingredient if you don't have it in your pantry)
• 1 Tablespoon corn flour
• 2 Tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 Cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• salt and ground black pepper to season

Directions

1. Wash aubergine, pat dry and then cut them into long thin pieces like fries
2. Add the aubergine to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, dried herbs, garlic powder, tamarind paste and mix everything to coat the fries
3. Sprinkle corn flour and toss to coat the aubergine
4. Spray coconut oil to coat the aubergine pieces evenly on all sides. toss and spray more
5. Finally season with salt, pepper
6. Grease a baking tray. In a plate add bread crumbs and season it with salt and ground black pepper
7. Take spiced aubergine pieces and press them against bread crumbs to coat evenly on all sides
8. Place the breadcrumb coated pieces on the baking tray
9. Spray little bit more coconut oil over the fries. This will help in baking crispier fries
10. Bake at 180 C for 15 minutes until the aubergines are soft and cooked through from inside and the bread crumbs turn crispy and golden
11. Change the oven to broiler mode / grill mode and bake for a minute
12. Serve hot with buttermilk cream cheese dip. Recipe follows

For the cream cheese + buttermilk  dip

1/4 Cup plain natural yogurt/hung curd
2 Tablespoon cream cheese
1/4 Cup buttermilk
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt, ground black pepper to season
dried oregano, pomegranate , chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Directions

1. In a bowl mix together yogurt, buttermilk and cream cheese until smooth
2. Season with salt and pepper
3. Drizzle olive oil, dried oregano and top the dip with pomegranate and chopped cilantro leaves