Taiwanese Eggplant in 8 Minutes /By Herschell Taghap, Catering
Eggplants used to be dead to me. They’re such a cop-out for vegetarian dishes and even though “it helps to block the formation of free radicals and is also a source of folic acid and potassium” (via Wiki)… I never really thought they were GOOD for you. Our waiter recommended the dish at a local restaurant and the desire to attempt to make it at home has been growing since then. I gave it a shot this morning and it worked out well. It’s HELLA EASY:
BUY EGGPLANT > STEAM 5 MINUTES > MAKE SAUCE > EAT
Steamed, Spicy Eggplant
They serve this dish at Facing East in Bellevue, WA, one of my favorite (and only lol) Taiwanese joints near Seattle. There are many items on the menu that are delicious, but I love the fact that the eggplant is served cold – a wonderful addition to a steaming bowl of hot white rice.
Slice a Japanese eggplant into four long slices, stopping 1 inch from the top to keep the stem intact. KINDA LIKE A FOUR LEGGED OCTOPUS. Steam for 5 – 7 minutes or until tender. Chill in fridge until cool. You can also eat this dish hot.
For the sauce, mix the following ingredients in a bowl:
3 tablespoons chili oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp white sugar
White pepper & black pepper
To plate, make a bed of sliced rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and lay the eggplant on top. Generously ladle the sauce on top of the eggplant, making sure to get between the eggplant slices. Top with green onions and even some cilantro. Serve with stir-fried pork belly or 5-spice braised beef. OR FRIED CHICKEN LOL.
Next time, I’ll probably add a bit more fresh chili or a touch of water to allow the sauce to coat the bottom of the plate more for more “sop-ability.” I’m also thinking about fermented black beans for a bit more TWANG, but for now, the dish will be a go to veg’ for the next few weeks!
HOORAY EGGPLANT.
Editor’s note: check out Herschell’s blog, All Things Chill. You’ll also find it under “Blog Buddies,” to your right.
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