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On a recent trip, I had one of the more interesting bites of food I’ve had in a long time: Eggplant tacos with tamarind, Thai basil, and fried shallots. We were at Oranj, a natural wine bar in London that hosts guests chefs from around the world. We dipped in by chance, a find that resulted from a Google search of “natural wine near me.” The visiting chef was from Mexico City and the taco menu was decidedly non-traditional. We ordered just about every dish, but the eggplant tacos have stuck with me long after the has trip ended. The taco was smokey, spicy-sour-sweet, and herby, and when I went to order another one, they had sold out!
Upon my return, I thought about making these tacos but realized I am not sure what tamarind even is. It’s used in cooking all over the world but I could not describe to you what it tastes like other than sour, as evidence by my search history:
I decided to take a simpler route, realizing I’d never be able to fully recreate them anyway. This recipe relies on a spicy, sour, and slightly sweet dressing of sorts that is tossed with shredded cabbage to impart a tamarind-adjacent sour component. I tried marinating eggplant in this dressing, but it burned during the cooking process, so I keep the eggplant simple. I love a good cabbage slaw with tacos, and I am confident this slaw would pair well with pork or chicken tacos if you wanted a non vegan meal.
Eggplant Tacos with Spicy-Sour Slaw
Serves 4
4 small-ish, long eggplants, halved and scored. If you’re only able to find a larger eggplant, cut in to smaller, more manageable rectangles.
8 Tortillas
1/2 red onion or 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
Cilantro
1/4 cabbage, thinly sliced, about 1.5 cups
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped, plus some of the liquid (more if you want spicier)
2 large lemons, juiced
Salt
Lime wedges for serving
Mix together agave nectar, garlic, chipotles in adobo, lemon juice, and a little salt. Toss well with the cabbage and adjust for salt (or if you want more chipotles). Let sit while you cook the eggplant.
Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. A grill works well here too but i don’t have regular access to a grill so we’re doing this on the stovetop. Sear the eggplant scored side down until it’s golden brown, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes. You want charred and soft, not mush. Set aside on a plate to rest and sprinkle with salt.
Lightly toast tortillas over the stove top flame. You can also wrap in a damp paper towel and warm in the microwave.
To assemble: Put an eggplant slice in the tortilla (score side up so the slaw dressing can mingle) and top with slaw, cilantro, and red onion. Top with lime if desired.