Oriental Braised Eggplant Aubergine Recipes

Steps:

• Trim the ends of the eggplant and cut lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices.
• Arrange eggplant slices on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt.
• Let them sit 1 hour, then pat them dry and cut into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces.
• Heat a large flame-proof casserole or Dutch oven and add the oil and heat until hot.
• Add the chile paste and stir-fry for 5 seconds over high heat, then add the other seasonings and stir-fry until fragrant.
• Add the red onions and sauté about 1 ½ minutes, then add the red pepper and sauté another minute.
• Add the eggplant and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the braising liquid (broth, soy sauce,rice wine and vinegar), cover, and heat until boiling.
• Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook about 12 to 14 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender.
• Uncover, increase the heat to high, and cook until the sauce is reduced to a glaze. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the scallion greens.

Steps:

• Trim off the stem ends from the eggplant. If using Asian eggplant, slice into 2-inch lengths, and then cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. If using globe eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes. In a small bowl, mix the wine, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, pepper and 2/3 cup of water.
• Place a wok or a large frying pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, after about 1 minute, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and rotate the pan to spread. Add the pork, and stir-fry until it has broken into small chunks and is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, garlic, chilies and eggplant; stir-fry until the eggplant begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. 3. Add the water mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft when pressed, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, and remove from the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro. Note: Slender Chinese or Japanese eggplants hold their shape better and are less seedy than larger, more common globe eggplants.

Steps:

• Place the eggplant in a colander set inside a large bowl or the sink. Sprinkle with the salt, toss to combine and let sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
• To a large nonstick skillet, add the olive oil and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat to medium and fry the scallions, stirring often, until crispy and evenly browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried scallions onto a paper towel.
• Reserve a small handful of raw scallion greens for garnish, then fry the remaining scallion greens in the oil until crispy and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer fried scallion greens onto a paper towel.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully pour the hot scallion oil into a glass container or measuring cup.
• After the 30 minutes of salting, dry the eggplant segments with a paper towel. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved scallion oil.
• When the oil starts to shimmer and you see a wisp of smoke, add half the eggplant, cut sides down, and fry until browned and starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip once and cook another minute on the other side. Transfer to a plate, add 2 more tablespoons of scallion oil back to the pan, and repeat to fry the second batch of eggplants. (If you are lucky enough to have any scallion oil left, use it to fry eggs or to dress a salad.)
• Finally, sauce the eggplants: Add the first batch of eggplants back to the pan alongside the second batch. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the reserved gochujang sauce over the eggplants. Toss until evenly coated and the gochujang starts to caramelize, about 1 minute.
• Plate the eggplants on a large platter and garnish with the fried scallions and the reserved raw scallion greens. Serve immediately. (To store for later, transfer to a resealable container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. This dish tastes great cold, straight out of the fridge, or at room temperature.)