Moroccan · Salad
Aubergine Mderbel (Fried Aubergine & Garlic Salad)
Mderbel is a Moroccan technique of frying a vegetable then simmering it down with garlic and spices into a soft, savoury, almost caramelised cooked salad. Aubergine mderbel is the classic: golden-fried aubergine melted with garlic, paprika, cumin and a little tomato until rich and jammy. It sits on the mezze table beside zaalouk and taktouka, scooped with bread.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines (about 600 g), sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tomatoes, grated (or 3 tbsp passata)
- 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin, pinch cayenne
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Olive oil, for frying
- 1 small bunch coriander and parsley, chopped
- Salt
Method
- 1
Salt and fry
Salt the aubergine slices and leave 15 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry. Fry in olive oil until golden and soft on both sides, and drain on paper.
- 2
Make the garlic base
In a wide pan, warm a little oil, soften the garlic with the paprika, cumin and cayenne for 30 seconds, then add the grated tomato and cook to a thick sauce.
- 3
Simmer down
Add the fried aubergine, mashing it roughly into the sauce, and cook together 10–15 minutes until soft, rich and jammy with no watery liquid.
- 4
Finish
Stir in the lemon juice, most of the herbs and salt to taste.
- 5
Serve
Spread on a plate, pool a little olive oil, scatter the last herbs, and serve warm or at room temperature with bread.
Chef's tips
- Salting the aubergine first draws out water so it fries golden instead of steaming and soaking up oil.
- Cook off all the moisture at the end — mderbel should be thick and spoonable, not watery.
- Like zaalouk, it tastes even better the next day once the garlic and spices have settled.
Frequently asked questions
What does mderbel mean?
Mderbel refers to a preparation where a vegetable is fried then stewed with garlic and spices into a soft, rich cooked salad. Aubergine is the most common, but courgette mderbel is made the same way.
How is it different from zaalouk?
Both are smoky, garlicky aubergine dips. Zaalouk mashes boiled or roasted aubergine into a tomato base; mderbel fries the aubergine first, which gives a richer, more caramelised flavour.