Perfectly Sautéed Eggplant: A Flavorful Summer Side Dish
Perfectly Sautéed Eggplant: A Flavorful Summer Side Dish
Nutritious and Delicious Summer Side Dish – Sautéed Eggplant (Gaji Bokkeum)
Eggplant is packed with nutrients and tastes great, but its unique mushy texture often makes it unpopular in our household as a staple side dish. However, by changing the cooking method slightly, my family now loves this ‘black food’ eggplant dish! Today, I’ve prepared a sautéed eggplant recipe that has turned our picky eaters into fans. This recipe transforms a disliked vegetable into a favorite!
Main Ingredients- 3 eggplants
- 1/2 onion
- 1 stalk green onion
- 2 Korean green chilies (cheongyang chili)
- 2 red chilies
- 10 cloves garlic
Seasoning & Cooking- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 Tbsp coarse salt
- 1 cup water (for brining eggplant)
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 Tbsp coarse salt
- 1 cup water (for brining eggplant)
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thoroughly wash the 3 eggplants. Remove the stems, then cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Slice them into thick pieces, about 8-10mm thick. Cutting them too thinly might cause them to break apart while stir-frying, so maintaining some thickness is key.
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of water with 0.5 Tbsp of coarse salt and stir until the salt is dissolved, creating a brine. Add the sliced eggplants to the brine, gently toss to coat, and let them sit for 15 minutes. This process draws out excess moisture and softens the eggplant, improving its texture.
Step 3
While the eggplant is brining, prepare the vegetables. Cut the green onion into 5cm lengths, then slice them lengthwise. Thinly slice the half onion. Mince or thinly slice the 10 garlic cloves. Slice the 2 Korean green chilies and 2 red chilies diagonally to add color and a touch of heat.
Step 4
After brining in the salt water for 15 minutes, take out the eggplant and place it in a bowl. Gently press the eggplant with your hands to squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Removing moisture is crucial to prevent the dish from becoming watery and to allow the seasoning to penetrate better.
Step 5
Heat 5 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and sauté until it becomes translucent and fragrant, infusing the oil with garlic aroma. Be careful not to burn the garlic, cooking it slowly over low to medium heat.
Step 6
Once the garlic is fragrant, add 2 Tbsp of red pepper flakes (gochugaru) and stir-fry briefly over medium-low heat. Gochugaru burns easily, so it’s important to manage the heat. Stir-frying the gochugaru in oil will deepen its color and flavor.
Step 7
Next, add the sliced onion and the chopped green onion. Stir-fry lightly until the onions become translucent, bringing out their natural sweetness.
Step 8
Add the squeezed eggplant to the pan and stir-fry briefly with the other vegetables. Then, add the diagonally sliced red and green chilies and continue to stir-fry together.
Step 9
Finally, add the seasonings: 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp oyster sauce, 0.5 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Stir-fry until all ingredients are well coated. Turn off the heat just after adding the sesame oil and seeds to preserve their aroma.
Step 10
Your delicious Sautéed Eggplant is ready! By lightly brining the eggplant before stir-frying, it loses its mushy texture and gains a wonderfully tender yet firm bite. The combination of the natural vegetable flavors and the savory sauce makes this an irresistible side dish that’s perfect with rice. Say goodbye to less popular eggplant dishes and hello to this crowd-pleasing favorite!
