In the south we're famous for fried fish and we consider it a staple food. There is always someone somewhere having a fish fry and I refuse to miss out on the nostalgia of a good "fish fry" simply because I don't eat fish. Wait, that doesn't even make any sense right? How you gonna eat fish and be vegan at the same time? Well, the solution is simple......EGGPLANT. Seriously, this recipe is so incredibly simple, delicious and it doesn't taste the least bit like eggplant. The best thing about this recipe is that it is super inexpensive and one eggplant makes around 4 servings so it's perfect if you're on a budget.
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 eggplant peeled and sliced into strips that are about 4 inches long and 1/2 an inch thick
oil for cooking
1 lemon
Wet Batter
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1 tbs of sriracha sauce
2 tsp of old bay seasoning
1 tsp of onion powder
black pepper to taste
3/4 cups of water
Dry Batter
2 cups of cornmeal
1 tbs of old bay seasoning
1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of sea salt
Vegan Honey Mustard:
1/2 cup of vegan mayo (I use the Just Mayo brand)
2 tbs of yellow mustard
1/2 tsp of sriracha sauce
1 tbs of maple syrup
sea salt to taste
1/2 tsp of chopped chives
1 tsp of lemon juice
Preparation:
First make the the vegan "honey" mustard sauce by combining all the ingredients into a small bowl, mix well and set aside.
Now prepare the eggplant by combining the ingredients for the wet batter into a small bowl and mix until smooth (the consistency should be like pancake batter) and set aside. Next combine the cornmeal and seasonings into a large bowl and mix well. Now place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the cooking oil about 1/2 an inch deep.
Now take each piece of eggplant and add it to the wet batter making sure each piece is coated. Then roll the eggplant into the cornmeal mixture and carefully place into your skillet with the hot oil. (Make sure your oil is nice hot and be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding the pan will lower your oil temperature and your eggplant will come out soggy). Cook the eggplant for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain the eggplant on a paper towel. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and sea salt to taste.
