Eggplant is like a sponge. It wants to soak up liquid.
To avoid greasy-gross eggplant, do a little work with it before you broil it up. You can slice it and dry it out in the oven to create a seal. You can also soak it in salt water and squeeze the liquid out of the eggplant.
I like to work with medium-sized eggplants or fairy tale eggplants (also called Asian eggplants). These tend to have denser flesh and fewer seeds. If you have a large eggplant, consider making a dish that requires processing all the ingredients in a blender, like baba ghanoush.
This dish is paired with a cold tofu salad. Simply combine these ingredients:
- 1/2 pound tofu, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Add a handful of Napa cabbage chopped into thin ribbons and some beautiful strips of red pepper, and enjoy!
This recipe features the Aux Poivres spice blend.
Ingredients
- 4 Asian eggplants
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons Chinese five spice blend
- 1 teaspoon Aux Poivres spice blend
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Asian chili paste
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Cut eggplant on a bias into 1/2-inch thick ovals
- Place remaining ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil and reduce to a glaze. Taste and adjust the seasoning as you like.
- Brush eggplant with glaze. Broil eggplant until well caramelized, turn and do the same on the other side. Finish in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until tender.
- Squeeze juice from the lemon over top and serve.
This dish is paired with a cold tofu salad. Simply combine these ingredients:
- 1/2 pound tofu, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Add a handful of Napa cabbage chopped into thin ribbons and some beautiful strips of red pepper, and enjoy!
[photo 2]
This recipe features the spice blend.
