MOUSSAKA
Moussaka is one of the native dishes to Greek cuisine. It is the tastiest and simplest dishes I liked the most. It is a variety and lip smacking baked dish.
Many does not like brinjal or eggplant but make brinjal in this way everyone will blown away. It is traditionally with pork or ground meat but today we will be substituted with chicken.
HOW TO MAKE BECHAMEL SAUCE?
Béchamel sauce is the classic mother sauce in continental cuisine. Béchamel the white sauce is named after its inventor Louis 14’s steward called Louis de Béchamel.
It is made by stirring milk into a roux.
WHAT IS ROUX?
Roux can be defined as equal quantity of cooked butter and flour.
There are different types of roux which is used in different sauces and other preparations. It is basically used as a thickening agent.
GREEK STYLE MOUSSAKA
Moussaka is a layered dish with aubergine or eggplant and ground juicy meat topped with bechamel sauce. It is an inspired dish from lasgna from Italian cuisine.
INGREDIENTS
FOR EGGPLANT
FOR COOKING MEAT
BECHAMEL SAUCE
Instructions
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PREPARE BECHAMEL SAUCE
Keep milk boiling in a pan with half onion poked with cloves until first boiling.
In another pan add butter and cook till melted and add the flour and cook till just releasing the pan texture.
Once the milk is boiled and cooled add it to the roux that is cooked butter and flour.
Mix it without forming any lumps and add butter on top to avoid any layer formation.
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PREPARE THE EGG PLANT
Cut the brinjal into round or long flat thin slices and keep in salt water to avoid becoming black.
In an pan add butter and keep the thin cut brinjals and add salt and cook till roasted nicely on both sides.
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COOKING THE MEAT
In a pan, add butter or oil and let it melt. Once melted add chopped garlic and let it roast till golden brown.
Add chopped onion and cook till translucent and add oregano, paprika powder, nutmeg powder, black pepper, and cook for 1minute.
Add tomato puree and broth or wine and cook further for 2 minutes.
Add chopped or grounded meat and cook for around 6 to 8 minutes on medium flame and add oregano and seasoning. Add sugar if tomato is sour.
Finally add cream and remove from flame.
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BAKING THE DISH
Arrange the cooked eggplant slices in the bottom covering the pan fully and add the cooked meat above the eggplant and add eggplant layers and cooked meat and finally pour the béchamel sauce over the top and add cheese if needed.
Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 30 to 35 minutes.
