eggplant carnitas tacos

this has quickly become one of my new favorite dishes – so quick and easy to simply grate up an eggplant, add some taco seasonings and fry it up for a few minutes.  unlike store bought meat substitutes that may contain soy, wheat or high amounts of fat, this recipe is all natural vegetables and only contains 1 teaspoon of oil per serving.  it really is amazing how much it looks and tastes like meat, since the eggplant mimics the texture and the spices add all the flavor.

this recipe for carnitas can substitute in any dish that calls for taco meat.  it’s great over nachos, in a burrito or a taco salad.  you could even get creative and invent a 7-layer dip or mexican casserole – the possibilities are endless!  but i kept it simple here and served it with just some diced red onion, cilantro and a lemon wedge on the side.

eggplant carnitas
1 large chinese eggplant (about 1/2 a pound)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

coarsely grate the eggplant into a large bowl.  you can use 1/2 pound of any kind, but i like to use chinese eggplant because they are smaller and easier to grate than a large globe eggplant. they are also more tender and sweet, a lot of people complain of bitterness in large eggplants, so they slice it and sprinkle it with salt before cooking to bring out the bitterness.  there is no need for this if you are using smaller varieties like chinese or indian eggplants.

toss the shredded eggplant with all of the seasonings and the olive oil, mix well.

the spices i use are my version of taco seasoning, if you don’t have an extensive spice cabinet you can use 2 tablespoons of store-bought taco seasoning instead.

heat up a frying pan over high heat and toss the mixture in.  i find the best way to cook the mixture is to press it as flat as possible into the pan – to maximize surface area.  cook on high for at least 3-5 minutes, mixing every minute or so.  sometimes i like to cook it longer until it’s more crispy, but it’s fine soft too.  since it isn’t meat you don’t have to worry about reaching a maximum temperature, cook it to your liking!

serve right away or pack up for later.  enjoy!

yields about 3 servings (6 tacos)

would go great with:

• seasame-fried shishito peppers
• corn salsa
• super simple spicy hummus dressing
• simply cinnamon tea