Eggplant caviar
Eggplant caviar is not actually related to fish roe, nor is it a luxury. This vegetable dip appeared on Soviet store shelves in the 1960s, and it was quite unpopular, yet abundant. This attitude changed because of the famous Russian comedy “Ivan Vasilievich Changes Professions”. In the movie two regular Soviet citizens are transported back in time to the court of Ivan the Terrible, while the fearsome monarch is taken forward in time to Soviet Russia. Needless to say, the confusion is hilarious! One scene in particular was meant to make fun of eggplant caviar; however, the opposite effect was reached as the Soviet public laughed at the irony and started to enjoy the dish. Both movie and recipe remain Russian favorites to this day.