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My Korean eggplant recipe is steamed till tender, then tossed in a pungent, candy and barely smoky garlic sauce. The primary velvety chunk jogs my memory of sitting in my favourite late night time Ok-City restaurant with mates, at a desk filled with colourful banchan. I made certain this Korean garlic eggplant recipe could possibly be prepared in about 20 minutes, begin to end.
Why This Recipe Works
- Korean eggplant has a velvety texture, skinny pores and skin and cooks faster than globe eggplant.
- A low-cal recipe, however punchy and assertive genuine Korean flavors.
- It’s versatile. Might be served as an appetizer (banchan) – or as a lightweight primary.
I crave Korean meals at inopportune instances. Like at midnight, wrapped in a comfy blanket on the sofa. It’s simply how I’m wired. Steamed Korean eggplant, marinated in soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil – garnished with minced garlic and inexperienced onions is at all times value getting off the sofa to make. It’s known as gaji namul – and it’s an iconic Korean banchan (aspect dish) that’s sometimes served both chilly or at room temperature. After I prepare dinner the eggplant, I’m honing in on a texture that’s tender and creamy (but it surely shouldn’t be falling aside). 20 minutes later, chopsticks in hand, I’m at all times glad I made the hassle.
Steamed Korean Eggplant Substances
Scroll to the underside of this web page for the total recipe steps and measurements!
- Eggplant: You’ll want about 1-pound of eggplant. Should you’re utilizing lengthy, slender Asian eggplant, that’s often about 3-4 complete.
- Inexperienced Onions and Garlic: Minced garlic and chopped inexperienced onions do loads for each sharp, pungent taste – in addition to texture.
- Soy Sauce: For large time umami.
- Sesame Oil: I take advantage of toasted sesame oil particularly. Learn extra about sesame oil right here.
- Fish Sauce: Fish sauce is briny, salty – and introduces a lot depth of taste to this Korean eggplant recipe. It’s out there at most grocery shops nowadays, or you may seize fish sauce on Amazon.
- Honey: A tablespoon of honey imparts a light sweetness that compliments the in any other case savory marinade.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is brilliant however mellow. Not too sharp.
- Gochujang: This can be a funky, spicy and candy Korean purple chili paste created from fermented soybeans and purple chili powder. It’s magnificent. Learn all about Korean gochujang right here.
- Salt: Only a pinch or two, to style.
The Greatest Eggplant to Use For This Recipe
- Search for eggplant on the grocery retailer known as Chinese language or Japanese eggplant. Relying available on the market, they could even be labeled Korean eggplant.
All three varieties are lengthy and slender with fairly skinny, shiny skins. These eggplant prepare dinner rapidly and have fewer seeds.
Globe eggplant (the thick, spherical ones) take longer to prepare dinner, are filled with seeds and have thicker skins. They work in a pinch, however aren’t ideally suited.
Easy methods to Make Garlic Korean Eggplant
- Put together the eggplant. Trim the stems off your entire eggplant, then slice into items which might be roughly 3 inches lengthy and an inch thick. Place the eggplant items right into a steamer basket.
- Steam the eggplant. Add about 2 cups of water to a pot and produce to a boil on the stovetop. As soon as boiling, place the steamer basket atop the pot and canopy with a lid (or foil). Decrease the warmth to medium and steam the eggplant items till tender – however not falling aside. This could take 8-12 minutes. Take a look at typically. As soon as the eggplant is tender, flip the warmth off and switch the eggplant items to a bowl or plate and permit to chill a bit.
- Make the garlic sauce. In a separate mixing bowl, mix the garlic, inexperienced onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, gochujang, fish sauce and rice vinegar and blend effectively.
- Combine and serve. As soon as the eggplant has cooled down, add it to the blending bowl and toss till effectively combined. Season with salt if wanted and serve.
Skilled Tip You may take a look at the doneness of your eggplant whereas it’s nonetheless within the steamer basket. Poke a bit with a chopstick or the tines of a fork. Should you can pierce the outer pores and skin and the internal flesh simply, it’s good to go. If not, hold steaming.
What to Serve With Steamed Korean Eggplant
At a Korean restaurant, banchan are the small plates that arrive at your desk after you’ve ordered, however earlier than the principle programs arrive. Nonetheless, they’re not likely appetizers. Consider them as snacks you may savor on their very own – or as a supporting condiment all through your total meal.
I might eat a whole meal of simply banchan. Listed below are just a few recipes I steadily serve alongside gaji namul:
Storage
Cowl and refrigerate any leftovers for as much as 5 days.
Eat leftovers chilly, proper out of the fridge. The flavors ought to truly deepen throughout storage. Nonetheless, you may add a tiny splash of soy sauce and sesame oil should you want a further seasoning enhance.
Steadily Requested Questions
It may be! However you’ll should make a pair ingredient modifications. For a vegan gaji namul, the fish sauce should go. As an alternative of fish sauce, simply use an equal quantity of soy sauce. So, for this recipe, you’d be utilizing 1 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce complete. The second ingredient you’ll 86 is the honey. Merely swap the honey out for agave nectar as an alternative.
Because it has soy sauce, this recipe isn’t gluten free as written. Nonetheless, you may simply use liquid aminos or tamari as an alternative of the soy sauce. Growth. Straightforward.
Whereas there’s a bit of bit of warmth from the gochujang, it’s a reasonably delicate dish total. This makes it nice for individuals who love punchy Korean flavors, however who may additionally be delicate to spicy meals. If you would like your Korean eggplant spicier, merely add gochugaru (Korean purple chili pepper powder). It’s spicy – but additionally pretty smoky. Learn all about Korean gochugaru right here.
Wish to add this eggplant recipe to a full-on Korean banquet? After I go feast-mode, right here’s what I make:
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Did you want this Korean gaji namul aspect dish? Are there modifications you made that you just want to share? Share your ideas and proposals within the feedback part beneath!
Steamed Korean Eggplant (Gaji Namul)
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Prepare dinner Time: 7 minutes
Whole Time: 22 minutes
Yield: 4 sides 1x
Class: Aspect
Technique: Steaming
Delicacies: Korean
Food regimen: Low Calorie
Description
Steamed Korean eggplant is garlicky and savory with a touch of spice. Gaji namul might be your new favourite banchan! Prepared in 22 minutes from begin to end.
Substances
Models
Scale
Directions
- Lower the ends off the eggplant and slice them into items which might be 3 inches lengthy and 1 inch thick.
- Place the eggplant items in a steamer basket.
- Add about 1 to 2 cups of water to a pot and produce the water to a boil.
- Place the steamer basket on prime of the pot and canopy with a lid or baking foil.
- Decrease the warmth to medium and steam the eggplant items till they're tender however not falling apart- about 8 to 12 minutes.
- Flip the warmth off and switch the eggplant items to a bowl. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
- In the meantime, combine the remaining elements in a bowl and when the eggplant has cooled, add it to the blending bowl.
- Gently toss the eggplant items till they're evenly coated. Serve.
Notes
Retailer leftovers within the fridge (coated) for as much as 5 days.
Diet
- Serving Measurement: 1 serving
- Energy: 82
- Sugar: 8.9g
- Sodium: 312mg
- Fats: 3.7g
- Saturated Fats: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fats: 1.5g
- Trans Fats: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12.5g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Protein: 1.7g
- Ldl cholesterol: 0mg
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