About
Yoğurtlu Patlıcan Salatası: A Meze of Smoke, Sun, and Silk
Step into a Turkish meyhane on a warm summer evening and the table will almost certainly be alive with meze — small, colorful plates made for lingering conversation. Bowls of garlicky haydari, smoky babagannuş, bright-red ezme… each one a small invitation to eat slowly and talk long into the night.
Among them, one dish feels both unassuming and regal: tender eggplant bathed in a garlicky tomato sauce, cooled with a swirl of thick, tangy yogurt. This is Yoğurtlu Patlıcan Salatası — a recipe that carries the soul of Ottoman kitchens.
From Persia to the Palace
Eggplant traveled to Anatolia from Persia and India during the 15th and 16th centuries, quickly becoming a darling of the Ottoman court. By the 18th century, cookbooks such as Kitabü’t-Tabih and, later, Melceü’t-Tabbâhîn — often called the first printed Ottoman cookbook — recorded recipes for eggplant salads dressed with garlic, vinegar, and herbs.
These early versions were simple: eggplant roasted or fried, brightened with souring agents, and finished with a scattering of spices. Yogurt entered the scene in the 19th century, softening the acidity and adding a cooling richness that turned the dish into the silky, balanced meze beloved today.
A Dish with Many Cousins
On a modern Turkish table, this salad shares space with icons like İmam Bayıldı (braised stuffed eggplant), Şakşuka (fried vegetables in tomato sauce), and mercimek köftesi (red lentil patties). Its Levantine cousin is babagannuş, and in Greece, it’s melitzanosalata. But the yogurt, pul biber (Aleppo pepper), and Ottoman layering of flavors give it a distinctly Turkish identity.
Why I Fry Instead of Roast
Traditionally, the eggplant is roasted over an open flame, lending a deep smokiness. I love that method — but when I want something more indulgent, I fry the cubes until golden before tossing them in a garlicky tomato sauce. The result is richer, silkier, and satisfying, without losing the dish’s refreshing coolness once the yogurt is spooned over top.
The result is a meze that’s as at home in a humble family kitchen as it would have been in the gilded halls of Topkapı Palace — a marriage of bright summer vegetables and creamy depth, best eaten with warm bread and good company.
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INGREDIENTS
2 large eggplants, cut into 2 cm slices
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped (or grated), or 1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
Lots of olive oil (divided, plus extra for drizzling)
1 teaspoon pul biber (Turkish red pepper flakes)
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt to taste
1 cup thick Greek yogurt (or Turkish süzme yoğurt, which is even creamier)
Fresh parsley or dill, finely chopped, for garnish
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Instructions
Cut & Fry the eggplant: Cut eggplant into wheels, salt generously over paper towel and let sweat for 20 minutes. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant wheels in batches until golden and tender, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Drain remaining oil from pan
Make the tomato sauce: In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil, onions and the garlic. Sauté briefly, then add the tomato paste and spices. After two minutes, add in the tomatoes. Simmer for 5–7 minutes until it thickens.
Combine: In layers, add eggplant, top it with sauce, add eggplant, top with sauce. Put into the fridge until chilled.
Serve: Before serving, add the yogurt on top of the eggplant mixture on top, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter parsley or dill. Serve with warm flatbread, alongside grilled meats, or as part of a meze spread.
