September in Vermont is a good time for eggplant, especially if you go to farmer's markets. I've been working to perfect this spicy, silken eggplant recipe. It uses the szechuan chili oil that I always have waiting in the fridge. Since nobody else in my household likes eggplant, I get this dish all to myself.
Ingredients
2-3 Asian eggplants (the skinny kind)
2 tsp szechuan chili oil (don't have this? try heating up plain oil and adding red pepper flakes while hot)
1/3 cup chicken broth or made-up bouillon
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 T vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp-Tbsp ginger, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
Assembly
- Boil pot of water. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, then into diagonal chunks about 3/4 inch thick. When water boils, put pieces in water for 2 minutes. Strain out and place on paper towels. They can dry/cool as much as needed.
- Make sauce by combining chili oil, broth, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- When ready to cook, heat cast iron skillet to hot. Put in 1 Tbsp vegetable oil. Throw in garlic & ginger. Stir together to heat through. Then pour in sauce and let that just heat through.
- Add eggplant. Stir to coat. Then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When done, some eggplant will be brown/caramelized and some will start to fall apart. The sauce should mostly be soaked in leaving a glaze of garlic-chili chunks.
- Add green onion and stir together. Serve!
So how do you feel about eggplant--love it? hate it? meh? I used to detest eggplant but I worked on acquiring the taste in my 20s. Now I like SOME eggplant dishes, and this is definitely one of them.
