Japanese Eggplant Aubergine Saute Recipes

JAPANESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SAUTE

Steps:

• Combine Soy sauce, mirin, crushed garlic and ginger in a bowl.
• Slice your eggplant thinly and into small pieces.
• Toss eggplant in hot pan (I use a spray oil like Pam) with the sauce mixture.
• Sauté at a medium heat until very tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add a little water to keep the veg moist if necessary.
• Great as a side dish for fish or chicken.
• Add diced medium firm tofu or any other protein for a very simple, quick meal.

EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a skillet over high heat. Cook and stir the eggplant until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed. Meanwhile, mix sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and oyster sauce in a bowl until sugar and cornstarch have dissolved. Stir sauce into the eggplant, making sure to evenly coat the eggplant. Cook until the sauce has thickened.

SUSAN'S JAPANESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) TERIYAKI

Steps:

• Cut eggplants into 1" slices and soak in water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and dry them.
• Heat large, non-stick skillet and add 1/8 inch of vegetable oil and cook the eggplant slices on both sides until tender, adding more oil as needed.
• Remove from heat.
• Combine the other ingredients, except the seeds, including a few drops of sesame oil. Add to eggplant and let it sit for 10-20 minutes marinating.
• Before serving, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

JAPANESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) TANAKA AND DASHI

Steps:

• HOW TO MAKE THE EGGPLANT: Wash eggplant, but do not peel.
• Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the cubes of eggplant and saute over high heat until lightly browned here and there.
• This should take about 2 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients.
• Stir well, cover pan and simmer over low heat until eggplant is tender and sauce is just a bit thicker.
• Serves 2.
• HOW TO MAKE THE DASHI: Bring the water to a fast rolling boil.
• Add kombu seaweed.
• Stir for 2 to 3 minutes to release its flavour.
• Then remove with a slotted spoon (leaving it in the soup would make it too strong).
• Bring the water back to a fast rolling boil and add the bonito shavings.
• Bring back to the boil, then quickly remove from the heat.
• Let the bonito shavings settle in the bottom of the pan---this usually takes 2 to 3 minutes.
• Strain; now the dashi, or broth, is ready to use.
• Yield: 6 cups.
• *InJapan it is used as much as we use salt, and it is a vegetable protein derivative.
• If you wish to use it, look for the Japanese type in Oriental shops.
• **Kombu:Kelp or dried seaweed tangle, which is one of two most basic and important ingredients for making soup stock (dashi).
• ***Shreddeddried bonito (a fish), the other essential for basic stock (dashi).
• Can be purchased in one piece, then grated, or already grated and packaged, which is much more convenient.
• DASHI: This soup stock is the base for almost all Japanese dishes, so it is important to learn how to make it.
• Chicken stock can replace dashi, but a certain flavour will be missing.
• Madame Benoit's World of Food.

JAPANESE GRILLED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) (YAKI NASU)

Steps:

• Bring seasoning ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan and let cool.
• Bring sauce to a boil in a small saucepan and let cool.
• Grill eggplants whole on a wire rack on grill until they are soft and feel tender.
• Test with your finger or a toothpick to see how soft it is.
• Place in cold water to cool; then peel and pat dry.
• Put eggplant in seasoning liquid; allow to sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Remove eggplant and cut into bite-size pieces.
• Place eggplant into serving dish; top with some sauce and a few bonito flakes; serve at room temperature or chilled.

SAUTéED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant if you like. If you have any doubt about its quality, cut it into 1-inch cubes and place them in a colander. Sprinkle liberally with salt, at least a tablespoon; toss the eggplant to distribute the salt. Let sit in a sink or over a bowl, undisturbed, for at least 30 and preferably 60 minutes. It will shed a good deal of liquid. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can, rinse with fresh water, and pat dry.
• Put the oil and all but 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Two minutes later, add the eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender and lightly browned, 15 minutes or longer, adjusting the heat as necessary so the eggplant browns as quickly as possible without burning.
• Add the remaining garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more; taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir in a handful of parsley and cook for a few more seconds. Garnish with some more parsley and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
• Stewed Eggplant with Tomatoes (France)
• This is good with a few capers, too: In step 3, before adding the garlic, stir in about 2 cups chopped tomatoes (ripe, fresh ones are best, but canned are acceptable). Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break up, then add the garlic and proceed.
• Crunchy Eggplant
• In step 3, before adding the garlic, stir in about 1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh (page 580). Cook for about a minute, until they begin to brown, then add the garlic.
• Basic Sautéed Eggplant, Indian Style
• In step 2, use butter if you prefer; add 2 cups sliced onion and 1 or more stemmed, seeded, and minced fresh green chiles, like jalapeños. Cook until the onion softens, then add the eggplant and proceed. In step 3, add 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger along with the garlic and use cilantro and mint in place of the parsley or basil.
• Eggplant with Peppers and Yogurt (Middle East)
• In step 2, cook 2 bell peppers-red, yellow, green, or a combination (or you can use mild poblano chiles), cored, seeded, and cut into strips-with the eggplant, until tender. In step 3, mix the remaining garlic with 1 cup yogurt, beaten until smooth, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Remove the eggplant and peppers from the pan and pour this sauce over them; serve hot.
• Eggplant with Pine Nuts (Italy)
• Just before serving, lightly brown 1/4 cup pine nuts in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; stir this into the cooked eggplant.

JAPANESE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) WITH TOFU

Steps:

• In small saucepan over medium heat, bring sherry, dark sesame oil, garlic, ginger root, vinegar, and 1 TBS of the soy sauce to a low simmer.
• Thoroughly stir cornstarch into water until well blended and add to saucepan.
• Simmer sauce until thickened, then turn off heat, cover and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat for 1 minute, then add the light sesame oil (or vegetable oil) and heat the oil for a minute.
• Add the chopped onion to the skillet, and saute until tender but not golden.
• Add the diced tofu to the skillet and saute up to 10 minutes to remove excess moisture.
• Add the eggplant and sprinkle with remaining 1 TBS of soy sauce, and saute until tender but not mushy.
• Stir in sauce.
• Serve over brown rice.