FRIED EGGPLANT IN MEDITERRANEAN TOMATO SAUCE; An irresistible summer dish

Eggplant is a tasty and meaty summer fruit that is a favourite in Turkish Cuisine.
You can prepare a whole menu of eggplant dishes with the rich selection of eggplant recipes in Turkish Cuisine. Just make sure the eggplants are fresh and in season!
Fried Eggplant in Mediterranean Tomato Sauce is a delightful summer dish, best served at room temperature. You can refrigerate the dish to keep it fresh for a couple days. It is a tasteful side dish for a warm summer dinner or lunch.
Try this Mediterranean dish on warm summer days when eggplants and tomatoes have their most palatable fragrance!
Ingredients
1500 g (~7-8 medium-sized) eggplants
250 g (6-7) banana peppers
3 cups grapeseed (or fine vegetable) oil

For the Sauce:
1300 g (10-12) Roma tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
6-7 garlic cloves
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

PREPARATION
Wash the banana peppers, discard the seeds and stems. Then, chop into ~2 by 5 cm rectangles and set aside
Wash the eggplants, discard the stems. Stripe the skin of each eggplant and submerge into a bowl of saltwater for a minimum of 30 minutes
Then, dry and chop the eggplants into ~3 by 3 cm cubes and set aside

COOKING
Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a large and dep pan. Heat the oil and test it using 1-2 pieces of vegetables. If bubbles surround the vegetables, the oil is ready for frying.
First, fry the peppers for 1-2 minutes, until they soften. Remove the peppers from pan and drain the excess oil using a strainer.
To keep the original colours, do not over-kill the peppers! Once they have softened, immediately take them out of the pan and set aside.
Fry the eggplants in small portions to prevent cooling of the oil. Fry the eggplants on medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes, until they become tender and slightly golden brown.
Over-fried eggplants will absorb the oil which will weigh down the dish.

THE SAUCE
Wash and skin the tomatoes. (!) Use the hot water shock technique for easy skinning. Then, dice the tomatoes and set aside.
Peel and wash the garlic cloves. Mince them and set aside.
Por 2 tbsp of olive oil into a pan.
Add the minced garlic and stir for a few seconds. Add the diced tomatoes, stir for 15-20 minutes on medium-high heat.
Once the tomatoes release their juice, add 2 tbsp of sugar, tbsp salt, 1 tbsp of vinegar, and 1 tsp of ground black pepper.
Then, set the stove to a very low heat and simmer the sauce for 90 minutes (1.5 hours).
Once the sauce loses its excess juice, turn off the heat and assemble with the vegetables while it is still hot.

SERVING
Layer the vegetables into a serving plate. This way you can serve the vegetables homogenously. Once all the vegetables are arranged, pour the hot tomato sauce over them, and let the dish cool down to room temperature.
You can decorate with a couple of lightly fried peppers or fresh parsley leaves.
Enjoy the taste of summer!

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