Summer Eggplant Salad

Eggplant is a night shade and bitter, astringent and pungent in taste. These are the right tastes to balance kapha dosha. For Pitta it can be too heating and can aggravate Vata. This recipe adds cucumbers, cumin and yogurt to provide a cooling balance.

Ayurveda has long considered eggplant as medicine since it is loaded with antioxidants.The smaller the eggplant the more medicinal.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Eggplant (Medium Sized)

1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes (about 10 cut in 4 pieces)

1 Cucumber (diced about 1 cup)

2 tbsp Plain Greek Yogurt

1 tsp Tahini

1 tsp Water

1/4 tsp White Pepper

Himalayan Salt (to taste)

1 tsp Cumin

2 tbsps Mint Leaves (Shredded)

1 tbsp Coriander (Chopped leaves)

2 Spring Onion (Diced on a slant with both white and green parts)

Directions

Peel the eggplant. Keep the stem on and place the eggplant in a steamer. Steam for 25 minutes until soft.

Once the eggplant is slightly cool mash or break into small pieces, season with salt and pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Mix together the tahini diluted with water and yogurt. Add the tomatoes, cucumber and gently fold in the yogurt tahini. Garnish with the coriander, mint and the spring onions.