Buttery & Savory Braised Eggplant: A Simple Korean Side Dish
Easy Homemade Side Dish: Soy-Braised Eggplant with a Hint of Butter
Discover the ultimate simple and delicious Korean side dish: Soy-Braised Eggplant! This recipe features eggplant pan-fried in butter until golden brown, then simmered in a sweet and savory soy sauce glaze. The rich butter aroma combined with the perfectly balanced salty-sweet sauce makes this an irresistible dish that pairs wonderfully with rice. Elevate your meal with this easy and flavorful eggplant creation!
Main Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 piece butter (approx. 10g)
- A pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- A pinch of black pepper
Savory & Sweet Braising Sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or cheongju)
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or oligodang
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or cheongju)
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup or oligodang
- 1/3 cup water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by thoroughly washing the 2 eggplants and patting them dry. Slice them into rounds, about 1.5 cm thick. Then, gently score the surface of each slice in a crosshatch pattern with a knife. This scoring helps the sauce penetrate better.
Step 2
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and melt the piece of butter. Once the butter is melted and fragrant, place the prepared eggplant slices into the pan.
Step 3
Pan-fry the eggplant slices for about 1 minute per side, for a total of 2 minutes. Use chopsticks or a spatula to flip them. You want them to be lightly golden brown and just starting to soften. Be careful not to overcook them at this stage, as they will soften further during braising.
Step 4
Once the eggplant is lightly browned, pour the pre-mixed braising sauce ingredients (2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp cooking wine, 1 Tbsp corn syrup, and 1/3 cup water) directly into the pan with the eggplant.
Step 5
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Using chopsticks, gently turn the eggplant slices to ensure they are evenly coated with the sauce. Let them simmer and braise for about 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and is coating the eggplant beautifully.
Step 6
When most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has nicely coated the eggplant, stir in a pinch of black pepper and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a final touch of flavor and aroma. Give it a quick mix and your delicious Soy-Braised Eggplant is ready to serve!