eggplant carnitas tacos

By gocatgo

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.

Ingredients

• 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

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from sweetbeetandgreenbean.net

Preparation

Step 1

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!