The following recipe is from my book, The Homegrown Paleo Cookbook: 100 Delicious, Gluten-Free, Farm-To-Table Recipes and a Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Food.
To me, grilling eggplant is the best way to eat this wonderful summer vegetable. Stacks of eggplant layered with spicy beef (also called Kheema) make for a warm and comforting dish on a cool late-summer evening. I know you’ll love this elegant and simple dish as much as I do. I like to use a combination of eggplant varieties. Feel free to use any eggplant you like, though the smaller ones taste less bitter.
Grilled Eggplant Stacked with Indian-Spiced Beef
Author: Diana
Ingredients
- For the beef:
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- 2 cups diced white onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon seeded and chopped jalapeño pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- For the eggplant:
- 2 large eggplants, sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds or lengthwise into ½-inch-thick planks
- ¼ cup ghee, melted
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the spiced beef: In a large skillet, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, paprika, cumin, and garam masala and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the beef, breaking up the clumps with a spatula. Cook until the beef is no longer pink.
- Stir in the tomatoes, jalapeño, salt, pepper, and water. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the vinegar and turn off the heat. Set aside.
- Stir in the cilantro and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Make the eggplant: Heat a grill to medium heat (see page 00 for grilling tips).
- Rub the ghee over the eggplant slices and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
- Place the eggplant on the grill. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side, then flip and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or so, until the eggplant softens.
- To assemble the dish, start by placing one eggplant slice at the bottom, cover with a layer of the beef mixture, then add another eggplant, one more layer of beef and top with a final eggplant. Garnish with cilantro.
Notes
I also love this dish with grilled zucchini instead of eggplant and ground lamb instead of beef.
This dish is Whole30 compliant and is nut-free and egg-free. If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider buying The Homegrown Paleo Cookbook!
This dish is Whole30 compliant and is nut-free and egg-free. If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider buying The Homegrown Paleo Cookbook!
Image credit: Heidi Murphy
