Wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and cut it into ⅕ to ¼-Inch slices (0.5 cm). Peeling the eggplant is not necessary.
To a container with low edges, mix together breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese (or vegan alternative), a pinch of salt, and a few twists of black pepper.TIP: the bread crumbs and the cheese must be perfectly mixed, and there should be no lumps of cheese. If cheese clumps up, blend the breadcrumb cheese mixture in a food processor for a few seconds. This step might be necessary for vegan cheese, as it tends to clump up.
To a bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, and salt, until you get a smooth, lump-free batter. We use this instead of an egg mixture.
STEP 2: BREAD THE EGGPLANTS
Dip the eggplant slices in the chickpea batter first, let excess batter drip off, then dredge in the breadcrumbs-cheese mixture.
Ensure the eggplant slice is fully coated in breadcrumbs, patting it with your hands to make the mixture stick. Set breaded eggplant slices aside on a platter.
STEP 3: FRY THE EGGPLANTS
In a large skillet that can fit 3 to 4 eggplant slices, warm up the frying oil to 320°F or 160°C. Use a kitchen thermometer to check oil temperature before and during frying.Add at least1 and ¼ inches of oil (3 cm) to the pan.Fry in batches, 3 to 4 slices at a time, for 6 minutes; flipping them once after 3 minutes. They should be crisp and golden brown.
Take the eggplant slices out of the oil and arrange them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Sprinkle with salt or salt flakes.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
You can serve fried eggplant as a starter or side dish on a platter, with finely chopped parsley on top, salt, and lemon wedges.They are delicious dipped in our vegan mayo or homemade marinara sauce.
To add some greens, we recommend combining them with our simple and crunchy side salad, or if you want to turn them into a light dinner, you can serve them with our Italian salad.
Finally, fried eggplants are also delicious on pasta with plenty of marinara sauce, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.This way, they will taste very similar to eggplant parm, thanks to the tomato and basil, and they are perfect as a main.