Traditional Muğla Fried Vegetable Salad with Garlic Yogurt

Ingredients (Serves 6)

Vegetables for Frying:

• 2 potatoes

• 2 eggplants

• 500 g green peppers (Anaheim, banana, or cubanelle peppers)

• 2 zucchinis

• For frying: Extra virgin or cooking olive oil

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:

• 500 g strained / Greek-style thick yogurt

• 3–4 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1 tsp salt

Optional Toppings:

• Dried red peppers lightly crisped in hot olive oil

• or

• Fresh tomato sauce gently simmered with olive oil and garlic

Chef's Pro Tip

💡 Texture Control: Using strained yogurt is key to preventing the dish from becoming watery. Pat all vegetables completely dry before frying, and soak sliced eggplants in salted water for 15 minutes and drain well to minimize oil absorption.

Instructions

1. Prep the Vegetables: Dice or slice the potatoes, eggplants, and zucchinis. Cut the peppers into large bite-sized pieces. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.

2. Pan-Fry in Olive Oil: Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Fry each vegetable batch separately until lightly browned and cooked through.

3. Drain and Cool: Transfer the fried vegetables onto a paper-towel-lined platter to remove excess oil. Let them cool down slightly to warm or room temperature.

4. Mix the Yogurt: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the strained yogurt, minced garlic, and salt until thick and smooth.

5. Assemble & Garnish: Arrange the warm vegetables on a serving dish and spoon the thick garlic yogurt over them (or gently fold together). Finish with crispy olive oil fried dried chili peppers or a drizzle of warm simmered tomato sauce.