One-Pot Method

My mother-in-law’s cooking method was to peel and chop the tomatoes and eggplant, place them in a pot or deep skillet along with the rest of the ingredients and a little water, and then cook everything down to a puree-like consistency.

She sometimes added a tiny wedge of lemon and a spoonful of tomato paste during the final reduction, but neither was a must.

Zaalouk Variations

That’s how I made zaalouk for years until I began to appreciate other versions of zaalouk which varied in the ratio of tomatoes to eggplant and the quantity of seasoning, as well as in texture and cooking methods.

For example, not everyone aims for a mash or dip-like puree; they might prefer a chunky consistency to their cooked salad.

And not everyone uses as much tomato or as robust seasoning as my mother-in-law; less tomato and less seasoning allow the full flavor of eggplant to shine.

Others might add a roasted pepper or two, in essence making a hybrid of zaalouk and taktouka, an equally popular roasted pepper and tomato salad.

Ways to Cook Eggplant for Zaalouk

Aside from that, the most major difference you’ll see in zaalouk variations is the treatment that’s given to the eggplants themselves.