Grandma's Maltese Kapunata Recipe | Sweet-Sour Eggplant Stew (No Mushy Veggies!)
Ugh, been there - I used to turn kapunata into sad, soggy soup. Turns out, Malta’s magic is in the timing. My neighbor Lina from Valletta taught me this years ago while her grandkids chased chickens in her courtyard. She’d wave her wooden spoon and say, "Maya, slow down! Kapunata isn’t a race - it’s a conversation between vinegar and eggplant." And oh, that conversation! You’ll smell it first: onions sizzling in olive oil so fresh it tastes like sunshine, then the *hiss* when tomatoes hit the pan. It’s street food in a bowl - the kind you’d find bubbling in a copper pot outside a Mdina bakery, served with warm bread for scooping. My kid licks the bowl clean, and honestly? So will yours.
Why this works: salted anchovies aren’t fishy here - they melt into the stew like savory ghosts, adding depth without tasting "fishy." And that pinch of sugar? It’s not sweet - it’s the secret that makes the vinegar *sing* instead of shout. Lina always used carob syrup back in the day, but honey works too if you’re feeling fancy. Fun fact: kapunata means "stew" in Maltese, but it’s really a love letter to summer produce. My first attempt? I added the eggplant too early and it turned to mush. Now I add it last, just to soak up all that flavor. Pro tip: serve it cool or room temp - never piping hot. It’s meant to be savored, not scarfed (though let’s be real, I’ve eaten it straight from the pot with a spoon more than once).
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium. Sauté onions until soft and golden (about 8 mins - don’t rush them!)
- Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute until it darkens slightly. Add chopped tomatoes and anchovies, breaking them up with a spoon.
- Pour in vinegar and sugar, scraping up any browned bits. Let it bubble gently for 5 mins.
- Add zucchini and tomatoes, cook 10 mins until zucchini starts softening. Then gently fold in eggplant.
- Stir in capers and olives. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25-30 mins - stirring occasionally. It’s ready when eggplant is tender but still holds shape.
- Off heat, fold in mint. Let it rest 15 mins (this is crucial - flavors deepen beautifully). Serve cool with crusty bread.
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