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    Home » Recipes » Winter Salads

    Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad

    Published: Apr 15, 2021 · Modified: May 17, 2021 by The Devil Wears Salad

    Jump to Recipe

    Nothing quite like marrying age-old African and Middle Eastern ingredients in one salad recipe. These dukkah eggplant baked slices are so well complemented by the hearty Israeli couscous and succulent pomegranate arils.

    Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Yoghurt Dressing served on the side in a bowl this recipe
    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad
    • What is Dukkah Spice?
    • Dukkah Spice Ideas
    • Recipe Overview
    • Ingredients
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Great Mains for This Salad
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Recipe

    Why You’ll Love Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad

    Baked eggplants are simply glorious as the flesh transforms from a spongy texture to melt in your mouth softness. Incredible to think that they are even the same vegetable after it goes through a cooking process.

    Baking the eggplant slices in dukkah is simply delicious. The complex flavours of the dukkah spice mix encased around the very earthy eggplant is such a great combination.

    The eggplant is then served on a bed of Israeli couscous that has been stirred through with fresh pomegranate arils. The pops of tartness helps to cut through the bold flavours and offers some freshness to the salad.

    The yoghurt dressing with the pomegranate molasses is just yum! The thick sweetness of the pomegranate molasses mixed through the acidic yoghurt works like a charm.

    Drizzle it over the salad, dip the baked eggplant slices or eat it by the spoonful. Whichever way you choose, it helps to tie all the elements together.

    What is Dukkah Spice?

    Dukkah, or correctly named duqqa, is an Egyptian spice mix or condiment made from toasted nuts, typically hazelnuts, seeds and spices.

    Dukkah is predominantly used to dip with bread. However, it is now extremely popular to coat all sorts of produce, including lamb, fish, and vegetables.

    The etymology of the word duqqa is Arabic, which means “to pound”. Most of the ingredients are dry roasted, and when placed together, they are pounded to create the condiment.

    They are not crushed to a powder form, nor is it ground into a paste. Dukkah is coarse and is roughly crushed.

    Much like the markets in Cairo, you can find pre-mixed dukkah easily in supermarkets nowadays. Like most food we eat, it has evolved over time. The different varieties you’re able to procure are only limited to one’s imagination.

    My favourite mix is the pistachio dukkah. The distinct aroma of the pistachio makes such a difference in the overall flavour profile of the spice mix.

    Dukkah spice mix on a round green plate

    Dukkah Spice Ideas

    Dukkah can be made at home quite easily. This way, you’re able to create a spice mix that suits your palate. Make a little extra as they keep well and also make for great gifts. Wouldn’t that be a nice little send off for your guests after a dinner party?

    Essentially you are dry toasting seeds for a few seconds. Then you’re doing the same for the nuts. Then add everything together in a blender with powdered spices, and you’re pulsing it to create the mix. Easy!

    The primary genetic makeup of a dukkah spice should include one nut (as mentioned, hazelnut is the traditional nut used), cumin, sesame and coriander seeds, plus sea salt and cracked pepper.

    Here are some different ingredients you can add or used to replace the above recipe:

    Other Nuts: Pistachio, almonds, macadamia nuts, peanuts, walnuts, pine nuts, cashews.
    Other Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, fennel seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, caraway seeds, hemp seeds.
    Other Spices: Ground cinnamon, saffron, turmeric, ground ginger, sumac, paprika, chilli flakes, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes
    Dried Herbs: Thyme, oregano,
    Other additions: Roasted chickpeas, shredded coconut

    We would love to hear what your favourite combinations are and what you’ve created from this list!

    Recipe Overview

    Flavour/Texture: This recipe has quite a few textures going on in every mouthful. The baked eggplant slices will be soft, while the dukkah will be crunchy.

    The Israeli couscous offers chewy touches while the dressing with be creamy. Combine them all, and you can imagine how they will all work together.

    The flavours are bold with the aromatic spices from the dukkah blend, the earthy notes from the eggplant and the sweet and tart additions from the dressing and the fresh pomegranate.

    Ease: This recipe is of medium difficulty with a couple of components to work through. It will be much easier if you buy the dukkah spice blend rather than making your own but coating the eggplant slices shouldn’t be too difficult. Everything else is just boiled and cut.

    Time: This recipe will take 45 minutes, with 30 minutes taken up in the baking process. You can prepare the rest of the ingredients while that is roasting away in the oven.

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad:

    Individually labelled ingredients for Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad

    Eggplant: Get the large globe eggplant for this recipe. Ensure that it’s nice and fresh with a bright green stem, smooth skin and feels heavy when in the palm of your hand.

    Dukkah: Any dukkah spice mix will work for this recipe, so if you have a favourite blend, by all means, you can use it. The rest of the ingredients will work well with the many varieties of blends out there.

    Israeli couscous: Love these chewy balls of goodness. Just to be boiled in water instead of broth for this recipe as there are already a lot of flavours going on.

    You don’t want the Israeli couscous to dominate the dish. It is only there as an accompaniment to the eggplant.

    Pomegranate: Just a small pomegranate will do for this recipe. Any leftovers can be eaten as a snack or perhaps added to a fruit salad for lunch the next day.

    Chives: Finely chop the chives to give the salad those onion and garlicky notes.

    Yoghurt: Use an unsweetened yoghurt for this recipe. Good Greek yoghurt would be perfect. Full cream would also be best as you want it to be nice and creamy just as we did in our Creamy Garlic Dressing and Honey Garlic Yoghurt Dressing.

    Pomegranate molasses: Nectar of the Gods in my book! Sticky and sweet, it makes everything taste better! You’ll be able to find this in the sauce section of your supermarket.

    Variations and Substitutions

    Globe eggplant substitute: If you can’t find the large globe eggplant, the longer skinny eggplant/brinjal variety will do just fine. Just cut it in half lengthwise.

    Which dukkah: Any dukkah spice mix will work for this recipe. Pistachio dukkah, although not as popular, is a delicious seasoning.

    If you’re up for it, you can make your own dukkah spice mix. Go back to the post to see some various recipes for some inspiration.

    Pomegranate molasses substitute: Pomegranate molasses substitute is hard to find. It truly is one of a kind. However, as we are already using fresh pomegranate, you can use lemon or lime juice or find pomegranate juice and add some sugar.

    If you’re desperate, you can use balsamic glaze instead.

    Chives substitute: If you think the flavours of the chives are too strong, you can replace chives with flat-leaf parsley or coriander.

    Israeli couscous substitute: Normal couscous is not a suitable replacement for Israeli couscous. For the chewy texture that works for this recipe, pearl barley would be a better choice.

    Instructions

    Step by step instructions for how to make Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad:

    How to Make Eggplant Baked Slices

    Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.

    Cut the eggplant lengthwise into quarters. Using a basting brush, coat each slice with 1 tsp of olive oil each. On a plate, spread out the dukkah spice.

    On a plate, spread out the pre-bought or homemade dukkah spice. Place the eggplant on the dukkah spice and coat evenly.

    Brush a sheet pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. Place the dukkah eggplant slices on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

    Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices on a sheet pan

    How to Cook Israeli Couscous

    Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add ½ cup of Israeli couscous and bring down to medium heat.

    Boil for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain in a colander, run under cold water briefly and set aside to cool and dry.

    Cooked Israeli couscous on a grey plate

    How to Make the Rest of the Salad

    Cut the pomegranate in half. Using a wooden spoon and over a medium mixing bowl, tap the back of the pomegranate to remove the arils.

    Chop the chives finely.

    In a medium mixing bowl, add the Israeli couscous, chives and season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

    How to Make Pomegranate Molasses Yoghurt Dressing

    In a small mixing bowl, add the yoghurt, pomegranate molasses and olive oil.

    Mix until well combined.

    Place the dressing in a small serving bowl to serve on the side of the salad.

    How to Assemble the Salad

    Drain the pomegranate arils of any juices.

    Add ½ the pomegranate arils to the couscous. Fold a couple of times but do not toss or stir as the pomegranate will stain the couscous.

    Place the couscous mixture in a hep to one side of the plate.

    Place the baked dukkah eggplant slices to the other side of the plate.

    Sprinkle the salad with the remaining pomegranate arils.

    Season with salt and pepper.

    Serve.

    Great Mains for This Salad

    Here are some great main recipe ideas to accompany this Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad:

    Lebanese kibbeh is a quintessential recipe from the Middle East while this slow-cooked Moroccan lamb rubbed in Moroccan spiced butter is also a great choice.

    For a full vegetarian meal, you can try this combi steamed cauliflowers that is rubbed with spices and roasted in the combi steam oven.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the difference between couscous and Israeli couscous?

    Couscous is semolina that is rubbed between wet hands to form tiny little balls. They are then left to dry, and when it’s time to cook it, they are better steamed than boiled.

    Israeli couscous is made from semolina and wheat flour. They are also rolled between your hands to much larger balls than regular couscous.

    The biggest difference between the 2 is that Israeli couscous is toasted rather than dried, giving it that chewy texture and nutty flavour. They are usually boiled when it’s time to eat.

    What can I do with leftover Israeli couscous?


    Israel couscous forms the perfect base to house some seriously delicious salad ingredients. Here are some more recipes you may like to try:

    Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Pearl Couscous
    Blistered Tomato and Basil Salad with Israeli Couscous
    Roast Pumpkin Salad with Israeli Couscous and Apple

    Where can I buy dukkah?

    When dukkah became more than a condiment eaten with bread, it opened up a plethora of possibilities. Being able to roast it with vegetables and proteins changed the way dukkah was viewed.


    We love these tasty eggplant baked slices. They are mouthfuls of pure joy! We hope you’ll enjoy this salad as much as we do!

    That’s all!

    More Winter Salad Recipes

    • Creamy Beef Sausage and Crunchy Roast Potato Salad
    • Roasted Spiced Pumpkin Salad Recipe
    • Gluten Free Pasta Salad with Tarragon Mustard Chicken
    • Celeri Remoulade
    Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Yoghurt Dressing served on the side in a bowl

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    Recipe

    Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad with Pomegranate Molasses Yoghurt Dressing served on the side in a bowl
    Print Recipe
    5 from 39 votes

    Dukkah Eggplant Baked Slices Salad

    Nothing quite like marrying age-old African and Middle Eastern ingredients in one salad recipe. These dukkah eggplant baked slices are so well complemented by the hearty Israeli couscous and succulent pomegranate arils. A wonderful combination!
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Dietary: Egg Free, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 281kcal
    Author: Amy Chung

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 1 eggplant, globe
    • 5 tsp olive oil
    • 50 g dukkah
    • 1½ cup water
    • ½ cup Israeli couscous, uncooked
    • 1 pomegranate
    • 8 stalks chives
    • salt, to taste
    • pepper, to taste

    Sala Dressing

    • 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
    • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
    • 1 tsp olive oil

    Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.

    Instructions

    Salad

    • Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.
    • Cut the eggplant lengthwise into quarters. Using a basting brush, coat each slice with 1 tsp of olive oil each. On a plate, spread out the dukkah spice.
      Place the coated eggplant on the dukkah spice and coat evenly.
      Brush a sheet pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. Place the dukkah eggplant slices on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
    • Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add ½ cup of Israeli couscous and bring down to medium heat. Boil for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain in a colander, run under cold water briefly and set aside to cool and dry.
    • Cut the pomegranate in half. Using a wooden spoon and over a medium mixing bowl, tap the back of the pomegranate to remove the arils.
    • Chop the chives finely.
    • In a medium mixing bowl, add the Israeli couscous, chives and season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

    Salad Dressing

    • In a small mixing bowl, add the yoghurt, pomegranate molasses and olive oil.
    • Mix until well combined.
    • Place the dressing in a small serving bowl to serve on the side of the salad.

    Assembly

    • Drain the pomegranate arils of any juices.
    • Add ½ the pomegranate arils to the couscous. Fold a couple of times but do not toss or stir as the pomegranate will stain the couscous.
    • Place the couscous mixture in a heap to one side of the plate.
    • Place the baked dukkah eggplant slices to the other side of the plate.
    • Sprinkle the salad with the remaining pomegranate arils.
    • Season with salt and pepper.
    • Serve.

    Notes

    • If you can’t find the large eggplant, the longer skinny eggplant/brinjal variety will do just fine. Just cut it in half lengthwise.
    • Any dukkah spice mix will work for this recipe. Pistachio dukkah, although not as popular, is a delicious seasoning. If you’re up for it, you can make your own dukkah spice mix. Go back to the post to see some various recipes for some inspiration.
    • Pomegranate molasses substitute is hard to find. It truly is one of a kind. However, as we are already using fresh pomegranate, you can use lemon or lime juice or find pomegranate juice and add some sugar. 
    • You can replace chives with flat-leaf parsley or coriander.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 582IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 16mg

    *Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica Formicola

      April 20, 2021 at 5:25 am

      5 stars
      Oh I love eggplant! Especially when it’s baked. It perfectly compliments that gorgeous salad, too!

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        April 21, 2021 at 8:50 am

        Thank you! We are eggplant lovers too and love that we can incorporate them in our salad creations.

        Reply
    2. Audrey

      April 20, 2021 at 3:39 am

      5 stars
      I love the eggplant in this salad!

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        April 21, 2021 at 8:49 am

        Thanks Audrey!

        Reply

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    The Devil Wears Salad Team

    United by a common love for salads, us 3 girls decided to embark on a journey to show you that you CAN win friends with salad!

    Tried and tested, these recipes are designed for all discerning home cooks. We have everything from no cook recipes right through to showstoppers. Something for everyone!

    More About Us →

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Korean Cucumber Salad – Oi Muchim (오이무침)
    • Roasted Asian Eggplant with Gochujang Glaze
    • Air Fryer Parsnip Fries
    • Kachumber Salad [Authentic Indian Salad]
    • Miso Mayo Dressing
    • Yuzu Dressing
    FEED YOUR FOMO

    We send delicious emails & hate for you to miss out.

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