This Eggplant (Aubergine) Dip, made with eggplant, sweet peppers and garlic is a popular relish in the Balkans. In different variations, the taste of the relish can vary from sweet to peppery. In my recipe, the dip is piquant and with wonderful smoky earthy flavours. This recipe comes from my granny in the South of Bulgaria, where the dip is called Kyopolou, and can be served as a spread, dip or appetiser and is a fantastic gluten-free, Keto and vegan treat.

HISTORY OF THE BALKAN EGGPLANT DIP KYOPOLOU.

Kyopolou dip originated in Turkish cuisine. It was introduced to the Balkan region by the Ottomans and was rooted deeply in many of the Balkans’ cuisines.

As already mentioned, in Bulgaria, the name for this dip is kyopolou. In Serbia, and many of the former Yugoslavian countries, it’s known as ajvar or pinjur (pinđur) and in Romania as venturists.

Curiously, the name of the dip ajvar comes from the Turkish word havyar and means salted row or caviar. The relish was referred to as the caviar of the poor. Today, the eggplant dip is a Balkan classic and everyone’s favourite and is served in many Balkan pubs and restaurants.

Kyopolou can be consumed fresh or preserved in jars and processed for extended shelf life. In my opinion, the dip tastes so much better fresh and is not that difficult to make it.

HOW TO MAKE BALKAN-STYLE EGGPLANT RELISH?

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📋 INGREDIENTS IN KYOPOLOU

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Eggplant & Garlic: The most important ingredients in this Balkan-style eggplant (aubergine) dip are eggplant and garlic. You can make the dip only with these two ingredients and a simple dressing.

Other Vegetables: My recipe comes with a few extra ingredients – chargrilled sweet peppers and sweet tomato. Always use red sweet peppers in the dip and choose sweet tomatoes because they bring a natural sweetness to the relish.

Walnuts: I love adding walnuts to the eggplant dip because they give beautiful crunchiness and nutty flavours.

Dressing: Back home we use red wine vinegar in the dressing, but apple cider vinegar works well too. You will also need to add salt and good quality extra virgin oil to it to elevate the taste.

Spices: The dip has wonderful smoky flavours from the chargrilled vegetables and does not require much spicing, but I do like to add a dash of ground pepper and a pinch of sweet paprika to it.

📖 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

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Step 1: Prepare the eggplants (aubergines) and the SWEET peppers

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Wash the eggplants (aubergines) and the peppers well.

I like to chargrill the eggplants (aubergines) and peppers on the barbeque for extra smokey flavours. Peppers cook quicker than eggplants and will be ready in 15-20 minutes. The eggplants will cook within 20-30 minutes. If they are large, they may take even longer.

If a barbecue is not available, you can roast the vegetables in the oven. Especially in winter months, this is easier.

Keep the grilled vegetables covered in a dish for 15 minutes before removing the skins. You can use a sharp knife to peel the skins.

Removing the skins is a messy job. Prepare a small bowl of water and rinse your fingers regularly to remove sticky bits of vegetable skin. 

Cut the cooked eggplants and peppers into large pieces, then mince them coarsely in a vegetable grinder or a food processor.

Step 2: Prepare the rest of the ingredients

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Wash and peel the fresh tomatoes. You can add them diced to the minced peppers, or mince them in the food processor together with the eggplants and the peppers.

Clean and press the garlic in a garlic press. It’s better to use pressed garlic because it blends better in the relish.

Clean and remove thicker stalks from the fresh parsley, then cut it finely.

Crush the walnuts in a mortar and pestle or chop them into small pieces with a sharp knife.

Add all ingredients to the bowl with the minced peppers and eggplants (aubergines).

Step 3: Make the dressing

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In a small bowl, pour the vinegar first. Add small splashes of olive oil to the vinegar and whisk continuously until the oil is integrated with the vinegar. Add more oil and continue whisking until all the oil is integrated with the vinegar. Sprinkle salt and sweet paprika and whisk them into the dressing.

Step 4: Dress the Kyopolou

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Pour the dressing over the relish and stir to mix all the ingredients well. Leave the Kyopolou covered for 1-2 hours in the fridge to absorb all flavours.

Keep the bowl with the relish in the fridge and consume it within a few days or transfer it into sterilised jars and process it hermetically.

🍲 SERVE THIS DELICIOUS EGGPLANT DIP

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Back home, this relish is served as an appetiser, often together with other traditional salads, and with a shot of Bulgarian brandy rakia.

Kyopolou makes a perfect snack, spread on fresh bread. You can make canapes with it or serve it as a dip in a mezze platter. It has beautiful piquant flavours and compliments well most grilled meat making it great to serve at barbecue parties.

Bon Appétit! 👨‍🍳👨‍🍳👨‍🍳

FAQ

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What variety of peppers WORKS best IN THIS DIP?

For a beautiful texture of the dip, choose a variety of red sweet peppers that are large and meaty. Traditionally, all Bulgarian relishes are made with sweet peppers called Red Kapia which is a local variety. Unfortunately, they are not available in Western supermarkets. The closest substitute for the Red Kapia is the Romano long sweet peppers which are widely available.

HOW TO COOK the eggplants and the peppers?

Ideally, you should grill the eggplants and the peppers on a wood or charcoal bbq. That will bring beautiful smoky flavours to the dip. If that is not possible, you can use a griddle pan or a gas barbecue, or even roast the vegetables in the oven.

How to roast eggplants and peppers in the oven?

Preheat the oven to 200℃/392°F. Make a few cuts in the eggplants (aubergines), then sprinkle sea salt inside the cuts. This will prevent the vegetables from exploding and creating a terrible mess inside your oven. Roast the eggplants (aubergines) for 40-50 minutes and the peppers for 30 minutes or until they are soft and their skin starts blistering. 

do I remove the green parts and seeds FROM THE PEPPERS BEFORE COOKING THEM?

Although it’s slightly more difficult to remove the seeds from cooked peppers, I recommend it because when cooked whole the peppers retain moisture and shrink less.

HOW TO PREVENT THE EGGPLANTS & PEPPERS FROM BURSTING DURING COOKING?

During cooking, the moisture inside the eggplant is trying to find a way out to evaporate. If you do not make cuts, the eggplant can burst during cooking and create a mess inside your oven. This is not that important if you are grilling the eggplants on the barbecue, but it’s recommended.

Can I CHOP the vegetables INSTEAD OF processING them in a grinder or food processor?

Yes, you can. Your dip will have a chunky and rustic texture, but it will taste the same, if not even better. Just make sure to cut the vegetables into small pieces.

DO I cook the tomatoes?

It’s not compulsory to cook the tomatoes in this recipe, even though you can. They can be grilled or blanched.

Can I use a different type of vinegar in this dip?

You can substitute the red wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar.

HOW TO PRESERVE/CAN EGGPLANT DIP?

Even though the relish tastes best fresh, you can process Kyololou in jars and store it for an extended period. Use screw-top jars. First, sterilise the jars and lids, then pack the relish into the sterilised jars and wipe the jar rim clean. Hand-tighten the screw tops securely and process the jars with the relish in a water bath for 20 minutes. If you are using a pressure canner, you do not have to sterilise the empty jars prior to packing them but do wash them well in warm soapy water. The high temperature in the pressure canner will destroy the bacteria. Consume the canned relish within one year.