easy chinese steamed eggplant (aubergine)
Submitted by admin on November 21, 2009 – 10:18 pm17 Comments
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After the duck nigiri sushi, I need to make something simple last night. This steamed eggplant has been on my to-cook list for a long time. It is extremely easy to prepare. The minimum ingredients you will need will be cooking oil, soy sauce and an eggplant. This is a dish I learnt from my mom and I could not believe such a simple dish can be so delicious that makes you want more. It is perfect for a meatless meal. No kidding, I only prepared this veggie dish and ate with steamed rice but feeling completely satisfied without craving for meat! My mom only used those 3 ingredients described above and I have added a few more simple seasonings to give the dish a kick and it worked really well.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sized eggplant
- 3 cloves garlic, cut into slices
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- pinches of Japanese 7 spices (Shichimi tōgarashi, Japanese: 七味唐辛子, “seven flavor chili pepper”) (Optional)
- few sprigs coriander or spring onion, washed and coarsely shopped (optional)
- light soy sauce
- ground sesame seeds
Directions:
- Prepare the garlic and coriander as described above and set aside.
- Peel and wash the eggplant, cut into long strips about 1.5 cm thick and immediately soak in a large bowl of salted water, this can prevent the eggplants getting darkened.
- If you are going to serve this with steamed rice, cook the rice in your normal way, when the rice starts boiling, place the eggplants on top of the rice and let it steam until the rice is cooked.
- Alternatively, you can also steam them using a steamer for 5-6 mins.
- While steaming, prepare the hot garlic oil, pour the cooking oil into a saucepan and heat it up at high heat, when it is hot enough, put the garlic slices into the oil gently, turn the heat down to medium high and let them fry until the garlic turns brown. When this is done, remove the garlic from the oil and turn the heat off.
- At this time, the eggplant should be ready, remove the eggplant from the rice cooker or steamer and place the strips of eggplant onto a serving plate.
- Place the coriander/ spring onion on top of the eggplant and pour the hot garlic oil on it.
- Add some light soy sauce and drizzle a little sesame oil as seasoning and finally sprinkle some ground sesame seeds and pitches of Japanese 7 spices.
- Serve immediately when hot with steamed rice.
Enjoy!
Notes:
- Instead of sesame seeds and 7 spices, if you have some Fried shallots at home, you can use that as an alternative.
That looks lovely! A refined dish!
Cheers,
Rosa
.-= Rosa´s last blog ..ANNECY, I LOVE THEE – PART I =-.
This is new to me and should definitely try.
.-= Ivy´s last blog ..Rome Snapshots and Pastitsio ala Italika =-.
wow, I like this dish. Eggplant was never really my thing (just didn’t know how to cook it), but this recipe might help me break out of my comfort zone. thanx yo!
.-= alecho´s last blog ..Not So Super Mario =-.
Hope this dish will make you like eggplant. My hubby did not like eggplants too but he likes the chinese way preparation : )
um….Interesting, I have never heard of this, my husband loves eggplant, I usually make eggplant with minced meat, but the eggplant needs to be fried first in oil, which makes it sooo oily, plus the minced meat, it’s a calorie bomb. I getta give this one a try, THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION!!
.-= carmen´s last blog ..Latino Sushi Session =-.
Hi Carmen, I actually made the dish you mentioned last night and both Bas and Peter like them a lot, I only use a little oil to shallow fry the eggplant so it’s less greasy and I stewed it with Yellow bean sauce and I added some chopped chestnut to the pork to make it more crunchy in texture : )
i looove eggplant
this is very different and sound tasty!! should give a try sometime sooner!
cheers!!
.-= nora@ffr´s last blog ..Kedgeree =-.
We love eggplant and I am always looking for different methods to prepare it … look forward to trying this.
.-= Maria´s last blog ..Pumpkin Rizogalo =-.
Great idea! I’ve never had steamed aubergine before.
.-= pigpigscorner´s last blog ..Steamed Egg with Milk Custard (鮮奶燉蛋) =-.
I’ve never had steamed eggplant, but I do like hummus and I’ve made that out of eggplant
.-= Vertical Garden´s last blog ..Martha Stewart’s Vertical Garden =-.
That is the only way I eat eggplants, otherwise they are usually soaked in oil! :O
I love eggplant! I’ve never seen it cooked in this way before, but it certainly looks and sounds tasty.
When you remove the eggplants from the rice cooker, is it still able to hold its shape, or will they fall apart?
.-= Nate´s last blog ..Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: The Making of a Sarawak Layer Cake =-.
They will stay in one piece after steaming and will not fall apart : ) You just have to scrape off the rice of there is any sticking to the eggplants. Really incredibly easy!
A very neat preparation of eggplant with steaming, it sounds delicious!
.-= Natasha – 5 Star Foodie´s last blog ..Sucre Chocolates =-.
Using eggplant is very nice, i like it much, i can not dream with chinese tradition : )
.-= Organic Growing´s last blog ..Guide to Growing Organic Vegetables =-.
MMMMM,…Janet!! Another delicious & tasty looking dish! Thanks a lot!
I so love aubergines!!! They are so versatile!!
.-= Sophie´s last blog ..Marinated spicy chili chicken served with bok choy & potatoes & some latest awards! =-.
I always like steamed eggplants…yours looks absolutely enticing! Well-presented!
.-= Angie@Angie’s Recipes´s last blog ..Potato Tomato Pizza =-.