This sweet and savory dish is one of our favorite way of eating eggplant . It's a versatile dish that makes a great side for rice and many other preparations. This luscious eggplant recipe is an amalgam of inspiration got from two Korean classics, gaji bokkeum and gochujang eggplant. Pan-frying or steamed eggplant when it combine with the sauce , it enhance the taste . The sauce gives a glaze , when it cooks , so it glistens . It is so flavorful, delicious , amazing , chewy and almost meaty. Korean red chili paste known as (gochujang) that spices up many Korean dishes is not available in our region, so, I recreated it with our local red hot chili powder. Though it adds an authentic flavor, you can use dried hot pepper flakes, though both are optional. The result will still a delicious eggplant dish that fans of this vegetable will be addictive. It will be super delicious side dish for your meatless day.
The eggplant looks very special and exotic, even though the recipe is very easy to make with just few stuffs which are always available in our pantry. I eat lots of rice with this Korean spicy garlic eggplant dish. The eggplant tastes wonderful right off the gas stove, but it's even better in taste after few hours of cooking, when all the flavors have time to mingle and deepen. If possible use thinner eggplant than the ordinary one, but regular eggplants work too.
You can prepare this by steam it and mix it with sauce or you can marinate the sauce with eggplants and cook in low flame , until eggplants are tender. Both ways are delicious. I keep this recipe mild , so added a little amount of red hot chili paste.
Ingredients:
10-12 small thin size eggplants ( Korean eggplants ) / any type of eggplants 1 large onion , chopped5-6 garlic cloves, chopped1 teaspoon sugar / brown sugar / honey Salt to taste 1 teaspoon sesame oil / mustard oil 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce 1-2 tablespoons gochujang/ red hot chilli paste/powder (according to ur taste) 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds.
Method :
Trim the ends of eggplants , then cut into two long strips.
Bring water to boil on a wok or steamer pot. Carefully place big strainer or bamboo steamer and place eggplants , skin side down. Cover it and steam for few minutes . If you like silky texture then steam it for 5-8 minutes.
When they are done cooking , remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Chopped garlic cloves , onion , combine with soy sauce , sugar or honey , sesame oil or mustard oil , 1 to 2 tablespoon red hot chili powder , salt , toasted sesame seeds in a large bowl .
Gently add cooked eggplants into sauce mixture and mix it gently with hand. Garnish it with sesame seeds and green onion.
