Eggplant Recipes

I like eating eggplants/aubergines. In Malaysia, the eggplant is known as brinjal, which is really Japanese eggplant. The Japanese eggplant is thinner and has a lighter purple shade compared to the eggplants found in North America. They can be found in most Asian grocery stores.

Eggplants are versatile and go well with numerous cooking style. Check out my different versions of eggplant dishes:

- Stir Fried Curry Eggplant

- Eggplant Dip

- Oven-Roasted Eggplant

- Steamed Eggplants with Chili Oil

- Baked Eggplant and Vegetables in Pasta Sauce

Stir Fried Curry Eggplant

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, 0.5 lb ground lean beef, 1 medium onion- diced, 4 garlic cloves- minced, 1 tbs curry powder, 1 tbs vegetable oil, 1 tsp brown sugar, 0.25 cup water and ground black pepper and salt to taste

Procedures:

1. Cut eggplant to thin half-moon slices

2. Over medium heat, heat oil in a large saucepan

3. Add beef and stir around until it is halfway cooked

4. Add diced onion and minced garlic. Stir until the onion is translucent

5. Stir in eggplant and blend in brown sugar, pepper and curry powder. Add water and cover

6. Stir occasionally until the mixture is cooked through and eggplant turns soft. Season with salt

7. Serve with rice and/ or noodles

Eggplant Dip

I first made this dip for a party and it was a great hit.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, 4 shallots- peeled, 8oz sour cream, dried basil, fresh cilantro bunch, ground black pepper, paprika, salt and olive oil

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degF

2. Cut the eggplant into halves lengthwise. Then cut halves. Place the eggplant in a greased baking dish, skin side down. Cut shallots into halves and place them on the eggplant

3. Season the mixture with olive oil and salt

4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the eggplant is fork tender. Remove from oven and let it cool for 10 mins or until cooled to touch

5. Scrape the flesh from the eggplant skins onto a chopping board. Discard the skins. Add baked shallots to the eggplant flesh and chop the mixture finely (sizable to scoop with a chip)

6. Place it into a mixing bowl. Blend in sour cream and desired dried basil. Season ground black pepper, paprika, salt and olive oil to taste

7. Chop desired fresh cilantro and mix in the eggplant mixture. Serve in a dipping bowl with chips

Oven-Roasted Eggplant

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, 1 tbs olive oil, salt, ground black pepper, dried parsley and dried basil.

Procedures:

1. Slice the eggplant into halves. If the eggplant is large, slice into quarters

2. Pierce the inside of eggplant to create diamond patterns. Do not pierce skin

3. Season the inside of the eggplant with salt and set it aside for 30 mins. This removes the moisture in the eggplant and aids the oil absorption

4. After 30 mins, squeeze the eggplant to remove excess liquid and dab salt and moisture away from the surface with a clean kitchen towel

5. Preheat oven to 400 degF

6. Line a baking sheet with Aluminum foil

7. Season the eggplant with olive oil, salt, ground black pepper and dried herbs

8. Place the eggplant on the baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 mins or until the eggplant is cooked through and the skin browned

9. Serve as a healthy side

Tip: Feel free to add your favorite spices and herbs.

Steamed Eggplants with Chili Oil

This is a healthy vegetarian option.

Ingredients:

2 long Japanese eggplants, 2 tsps dark mushroom-flavored soy sauce and chili oil to taste. Sesame oil and fresh scallions are optional

Procedures:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil over medium heat. Insert steamer and cover with lid

2. Slice eggplants on a diagonal thinly

3. Place eggplants in the steamer and cover the steamer tightly with a lid. Cook for 10 mins or until the eggplant slices are fork tender, stirring every 5 minutes

4. Scoop eggplant into a bowl and mix in dark soy sauce and chili oil to taste

5. Serve over rice or noodles

Diamond pattern cuts

Oven-roasted eggplant

Baked Eggplant and Vegetables in Pasta Sauce

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, half a head of cabbage, 2 small potatoes, 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbs olive oil, 18 oz of pasta sauce, 1 tbs balsamic vinegar, dried chili flakes, ground black pepper, dried parsley, and dried basil. Optional grated Parmesan cheese

Procedures:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degF

2. Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Chop onion and garlic. Shred cabbage. Cut potatoes to large bite size cubes

3. In a bowl, toss eggplant, cabbage, and garlic in 1/2 tbs olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and desired amount of chili flakes, ground black pepper, dried parsley, and dried basil

4. In an oven-proof saucepan or deep cast iron pan, heat the rest of the oil. Add onion and potatoes. Fry till onion turns translucent. Remove heat. Add onion and potatoes into the bowl and mix with the rest of the veggies

5. In the same pan, pour half of tomato sauce to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Layer the eggplant slices on the sauce. Ladle the rest of veg mixture on the eggplant. Pour the rest of the sauce over the vegetables

6. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

7. Loosely cover the pan with Al foil

8. Bake for 40 mins or until the eggplant is tender and potatoes are cooked through. Remove the Al foil and let it bake for another 5 mins to brown the cheese

9. Remove from oven and let the dish cool before serving with a slice of garlic bread!