Switch up your side dish routine with this caramelized eggplant with harissa yogurt recipe

Years ago while working in the test kitchen of "Saveur" magazine, I fell in love with a technique for cooking eggplant that involved deep-frying small pieces until caramelized and tender. The process produced an ethereally smooth, custard-like texture in the eggplant, but also made it pretty greasy, something I just dealt with by dabbing at it with what seemed like an entire roll of paper towels. I was so happy when I tried that same technique in the air fryer, and this has become one of my favorite recipes in the book ["Air Fry Every Day"]. Not only do I get an equally wonderful texture, but I have a healthier version without anywhere near the mess to clean up anymore. Try it, and I think you’ll be a convert, too.

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Do It BETTER

Do It BETTERWhat to cook in your new air fryer

Serves 2

• 1 medium eggplant (about ¾ pound), cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices and quartered
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
• 2 tablespoons harissa paste (see Note)
• 1 garlic clove, grated on a Microplane grater
• 2 teaspoons honey

1. In a bowl, toss together the eggplant and oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the air fryer and cook at 400°F, shaking the basket every 5 minutes, until the eggplant is caramelized and tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, harissa, and garlic, then spread onto a serving plate.
3. Pile the warm eggplant over the yogurt and drizzle with the honey just before serving.

Note: Harissa is a spicy, slightly smoky condiment that hails from North Africa. If you can’t find it, simply substitute 2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 1 tablespoon chili powder and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Ready for more? Try these 7 air fryer recipes

1. Chicken parmesan
2. Easy chicken kebabs
3. Coconut shrimp
4. Crispy homemade onion rings
5. Brussels sprouts
6. Garlic roasted green beans
7. Crispy chickpeas

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Recipes and photographs reprinted from Air Fry Every Day: 75 Recipes to Fry, Roast, and Bake Using Your Air Fryer. Copyright © 2018 by Ben Mims. Photographs by Denny Culbert. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.