Eggplant Rolls (Step Mother's Tongue) From Transnistria

A simple eggplant dish perfect for sharing.

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Transnistria, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is a self-declared republic located in Eastern Europe. It lies between the Dniester River and the border of Ukraine.

Transnistria declared its independence from Moldova in 1990, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but its sovereignty is not internationally recognized. Despite not being widely recognized as an independent state, Transnistria has its own government, military, currency, and other state institutions. The region has a complex history and has experienced political tensions and conflicts, particularly with Moldova and Ukraine. It remains a unique and disputed entity in the region.

During my trip to that part of Europe in 2021, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit this little known part of the world. During my first day in their de-facto captial Tiraspol, I went to a small cafe with a very limited menu. What they did have that caught my eye were these little eggplant rolls, which I ordered along with mashed potatoes and a mystery fried meat.

While there's lots of controversy about Transnistria, there was nothing controversial about the friendliess of the welcome in many shops, restaurants and bars. Many locals were happy to share their unique culture with me, explain the current situation as it stands in their eyes and show me a bit about what makes this little sliver onf controversy special and prideful.

As a traveler, I have no stake in this fight. I understand the history and controvery, but our mission as humans is to listen, understand and process, with little prejudgement to cloud our experiences. My time in Transnistria was one that I will always reflect on positively and the good news is that I brought a recipe with me, which you'll find below.

Transnistrian Rolled Eggplant Recipe

Prep time 20 minutes | Cook time 20 mins | Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 eggplants, cut longways about 1/2 inch thick

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2cup soft cheese, ricotta, cream cheese

• 1 red bell pepper, cut small

• parsely for presentation

• vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Cut eggplant long ways. For a better frying result, lay eggplant on a drying rack, salt on both sides, wait 20 minutes and remove moisture. You'll get a better fry.

2. Get oil to good frying temperature

3. Cook eggplant in batches, about 1-2 minutes per side until tender, but not until falling apart

4. When eggplant is cooked, set on paper towel to catch extra oil and to cool.

5. Mix mayonnaise, cheese, salt and lemon if wanted. Mix thoroughly

6. Put large dollop of mayo mix on one side of eggplant and roll it up. Don't do this while the eggplant is hot.

7. Add small piece of red bell pepper for color on the end that will faee the people eating.

8. Garnish with parsley, enjoy

These should be eaten room temperature or cold. I think they tasted better the next day so the flavors can settle.

If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!

If you want to try to make more flavors of Eastern & Central Europe and the Caucasus, check out the links my recipes below.

Central Europe

Czech Kulajda - A creamy mushroom soup

Hungarian Csirke Paprikash - A creamy paprika stew with chicken

Polish Pierogis - Rich stuffed dumplings served with bacon and onions

Slovakian Bryndzove Halusky - Extra rich and cheesy drop noodles with bacon

Eastern Europe

Belarussian Draniki - Crispy and crunchy potato pancakes

Eastern European Christmas Kutya - A traditional wheat berry and dried fruit dish.

Estonian Mulgipuder - A humble potato and wheat porridge topped with bacon

Finnish Lohikeitto - A light and creamy salmon soup

Latvian Auksta Zupa - A kefir and beet summer soup

Lithuanian Cepelinai - A potato dumpling with a rich meat filling

Moldovan Mamaliga cu Branza - A thick and rich polenta dish with dried, fried pork

Russian Shuba - A unique salad of beets, herring, carrots, and potatoes

Transnistrian Eggplant Rolls - Lightly fried and stuffed eggplant

Ukrainian Borsch - A rustic beetroot stew with beef