Sure, it can still be spongy, soapy and sodden when badly cooked, but there’s recently been an explosion of interesting recipes online. New ideas from lesser-known culinary cultures combined with diners’ desire for something with enough presence to form the centrepiece of a meat-free feast are letting eggplant enjoy its moment, especially as it’s now in season. This week, I look at clever, easy new takes on classic eggplant dishes that we already know and love.

Eggplant dip

You all know baba ganoush, the smoky Lebanese eggplant dip, but you probably don’t know Iran’s eggplant dip, kali kabob, that also brings walnuts and pomegranate molasses and seeds to the party. Less pureed but equally dippable is Ben Williamson’s makdous, where chunks of slippery eggplant flesh come dressed with garlic, lemon, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, za’atar, coriander, mint and Aleppo pepper to add bright sparks of flavour.

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Moussaka

Lamb mince and eggplant are a match made in heaven, so it’s no wonder that Yotam Ottolenghi sought to reinvent this classic. His eggplant, lamb and yoghurt bake with a cheesy crust is enriched with egg yolks; which was how Greece’s greatest-ever chef Nikos Tselementes helped elevate moussaka in the 1920s, by adding a thick, rich egg yolk bechamel. Helena Moursellas does the same with a baked bechamel topping on her papoutsakia: ‘little shoes’ of baked eggplant halves also stuffed with spiced mince.

Imam bayildi

This Turkish dish of eggplant with a rich tomato sauce and contrasting cool yoghurt translates as ‘the priest fainted’, allegedly about the reaction of the man who first tasted it. Find similar swoon-inducing qualities in Egypt’s creamy eggplant and tomato combo mesa’a’ah by Paul Farag.

Thai green curry

A great Thai green curry is all about the eggplant for me, whether it be bitter little pea eggplants, balancing the sweet richness of the sauce, or round eggplants that hold together nicely. These can be hard to find, so you can also try Warren Mendes’ coconut-creamy Malay eggplant curry.

Eggplant parmigiana

This cheesy bake of eggplant slices is about the only eggplant stack I’ll condone, but if it’s too soft and gooey for you, try carefully peeling the skin off eggplant cooked in the air fryer. Then slit open one side to stuff each with slices of mozzarella. Push together to flatten, double crumb (in egg, then panko with finely grated parmesan; repeat) and fry in plenty of olive oil until golden. Serve with a salad of sliced radicchio dressed in no more than a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt flakes.

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