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This spicy eggplant is my all-time favorite eggplant recipe. Hands down. the name Ogoniok (Огонек) means “little fire” because it does have a spicy kick to it.
My Aunt Tanya brought this recipe over from the old country. I’m telling you, It will knock your socks right off (not because it’s too spicy but because it’s ridiculously amazing)!! I eat this right out of the fridge with a piece of toast and it’s all I need.
My mom told me a story that’s funny/not funny. I have an uncle who ate spicy eggplant in Ukraine and he loved it so much that he couldn’t stop eating it. Long story short, he over did it big time and ended up in the hospital with a major belly ache. He was ok and I guess the lesson here is; there is such thing as too much of a good thing ;). It really is an amazing recipe, just don’t try to eat the entire batch!
Ingredients for Spicy Eggplant Recipe:
4 1/2 lbs (2 kg) eggplant *
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp (100 mL) white vinegar
1 Tbsp sea salt
2-3 medium/large jalapenos (or to taste), seeded and minced
7 large (or 10 medium) garlic cloves, peeled and pressed/minced
Canola Oil to fry eggplant
*How to Buy and Store Eggplant:
1. Choose slightly firm eggplant that are heavy for their size.
2. Choose eggplants that are small to medium in size (avoid the big ones)
3. Skins should be smooth and glossy and stems should be bright green.
4. Eggplants are best enjoyed fresh so use them within 4 days of purchasing. Store whole and unwashed at room temperature, uncovered and away from direct sunlight and away from bananas, tomatoes and melons which release ethylene while ripening and can cause eggplant to spoil quicker.
How to Make Spicy Eggplant Recipe:
1. Cut eggplant into 1 1/2″ to 2″ pieces.
2. Fill 1/3 of medium/large pot with canola oil and place over med/high heat. To test if oil is ready, drop in a piece of eggplant and it should bubble and sizzle. Once oil is hot, add enough eggplant to keep it mostly submerged in oil. The eggplant should be bubbling and boiling in the oil the entire time.
Cook in 2 to 3 batches depending on the size of your pot. Once eggplant is golden (15 to 20 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander set over a bowl to drain off excess oil. Let it drain in the colander until eggplant is just barely warm then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine white vinegar, pressed garlic cloves, minced jalapeños and salt. Stir together and drizzle over cooled eggplant. Toss to combine. Eggplant can be enjoyed right away or refrigerated. It keeps for several weeks and only gets better as the flavors meld.
Spicy Eggplant Recipe (Ogoniok)
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 lbs 2 kg eggplant
- 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp, 100 mL white vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 2-3 medium/large jalapenos, or to taste, seeded and minced
- 7 large, or 10 medium garlic cloves, peeled and pressed/minced
- Canola Oil to fry eggplant
Instructions
- Cut eggplant into 1 1/2" to 2" pieces.
- Fill 1/3 of medium/large pot with canola oil and place over med/high heat. To test if oil is ready, drop in a piece of eggplant and it should bubble and sizzle. Once oil is hot, add enough eggplant to keep it mostly submerged in oil. The eggplant should be bubbling and boiling in the oil the entire time. Cook in 2 to 3 batches depending on the size of your pot. Once eggplant is golden (15 to 20 minutes), remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander set over a bowl to drain off excess oil. Let it drain in the colander until eggplant is just barely warm then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine white vinegar, pressed garlic cloves, minced jalapeños and salt. Stir together and drizzle over cooled eggplant. Toss to combine. Eggplant can be enjoyed right away or refrigerated. It keeps for several weeks and only gets better as the flavors meld.
- Be sure to explore our other Eggplant recipes like this eggplant spread and definitely eggplant parmesan!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Be sure to explore our other Eggplant recipes like this eggplant spread and definitely eggplant parmesan!
Q: What’s your all-time favorite eggplant dish?
Hi 👋 I wud really like to know if you can can this recipe for the winter?
Hi Hope, I have note tried canning this recipe to advise.
As always I can count on your recipes to be EXCELLENT! This is so delicious! You are my “go to” for recipes!
Cooked this today and it was delicious! Will try it with toast like suggested. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Tawni!
Can you use baby eggplant or should I use regular size ones (small/medium)? I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Georgie, we used regular ones here, but a different size may work! I hope you love it.
I did love it! I think next time I need to cut the eggplant a bit bigger, seemed very oily after frying..I just blotted with paper towels…how do you keep the eggplant a little firmer? Not dry as long?
Hi Georgie, ensure your pan is pully preheated so it doesn’t absorb the oil too much. I hope you give it another try soon!
Love this recipe! Instead of oil frying, I air fry them! They might not be as crunchy as fried in oil but they are still super delicious and always a hit!
I am trying different recipes in my new air fryer, to get used to what works and what doesn’t.
Aubergine is something I’ve found tricky in the air fryer, and I love aubergine, so I’m looking for recipes online. I thought this might work well if I follow the recipe except to brush the aubergine liberally with oil and air fry it on high.
Or do you think it would cook too slowly? Air fryer is great for some things, but I find it hit and miss for these types of things, so any tips are welcome!
(And thank you for your website, I just found it but already love it. It is very accessible and user friendly, it’s a joy to browse.)
I meant to write “eggplant” instead of “aubergine”! I’m in the UK 🙂
Hi Becky! I’m so glad you found my website. 🙂
I actually have not tested that with the air fryer to advise. One of my readers reported good results in the air fryer but I don’t have the details. Another one of my readers reported baking this in baking pans and on parchment liberally drizzled with oil (400•F, 10-15 min per side). I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha. Thank you for this recipe and numerous others, they never fail. I am one of those people that makes this in the air fryer and it comes out great!
On a different topic, do you have a recipe for smetannik. I love that cake so much but haven’t been able to find a good recipe online.
Thanks!
Hi Bella! That’s great to know. Thank you for sharing.
I do not have a recipe for that, but you can see all my cake recipes HERE.
Natasha how can you can this ogonok? I have lots of eggplants and I want to can this dish.
Please let me know.
Thank you.
Hi Nataly, I haven’t experimented with that to advise. If you happen to I would love to know how you like that.
I met an old Italian man many years ago while shopping and he told me this tip. You can avoid a lot of bitterness in eggplant by choosing the male eggplants vs the females. If you look at the blossom end of the eggplant, the males have a circular spot and the females have a longer slit style marking. The female eggplants have a lot more seeds – and the seeds are what makes eggplant bitter. If you don’t have a choice and only find female eggplants, you have to salt them. Male eggplants are usually fine without salting. Hope this helps 🙂
Ps, I am also a nurse working in CCU. Love your recipes!
Thank you so much for sharing that great tip!