Chinese Eggplant With Ginger And Scallions Recipes

GRILLED CHINESE EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC AND GINGER SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar, honey, and cornstarch. Set aside.
• Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly. Alternatively, set all the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Bush the eggplant slices with the sesame oil and grill over medium heat until they have softened and the purple color is gone, turning half-way through. Remove to a plate.
• Remove the cooking grate and place your wok directly on top of the coals. Swirl in the canola or peanut oil. If the wok is hot enough, the oil should move quickly around the wok. Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and chilies. Stir for 10 seconds, until brown and fragrant. Add the eggplant and stir for 1 minute. Stir the sauce and add it to the wok. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until sauce thickens. Remove to a bowl and serve hot or cold.

CHINESE EGGPLANT WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Peel the eggplants and cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices. Brush the slices with sesame oil and grill over medium heat for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. The recipe can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead to this stage. 2. For the sauce, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir to mix. 3. Heat a wok (preferably non-stick) over a high flame. Swirl in the canola oil. Add the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and chilies and stir fry for 10 seconds or until fragrant but not brown. Add the eggplant and stir fry for 1 minute. Stir the sauce and add it to the eggplant. Bring the mixture to a boil; the sauce should thicken. Transfer the eggplant to a platter or bowl and sprinkle with scallion greens. The eggplant can be served hot or cold as an appetizer or vegetable side dish. This rendition calls for grilling the eggplant, which imparts a smoky flavor in addition to dramatically reducing the fat.

LIANG BAN QIE ZI (EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC, GINGER AND SCALLIONS)

Steps:

• Set up a wide, deep skillet or wok with a steamer insert, bamboo steamer or stainless steel trivet (see Tip). Find a heatproof plate that fits into your cooking vessel. Add about 1 to 2 inches of water (making sure it won't touch the bottom of the plate), cover with a lid (or sheet pan or aluminum foil) that fully encloses the steamer, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, slice the eggplant into ½-inch-thick circles, then slice each disk into ½-inch strips. Arrange the eggplant pieces on the heatproof plate, stacking them but leaving some gaps to allow the steam to reach all sides of the eggplant.
• Carefully place the plate of eggplant into the steamer insert or bamboo steamer, or on top of the trivet. Cover and steam for 9 to12 minutes, until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork, but still firm enough to hold its shape. Carefully transfer the eggplant to a colander set in the sink to cool and drain.
• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, black vinegar, chile crisp and granulated sugar.
• When the eggplant is cool to the touch, transfer it to a shallow serving bowl or a rimmed plate. Pile the garlic, scallions and ginger in the center of the eggplant; don't scatter.
• In a small pan, heat the oil on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes; the oil is hot enough if it bubbles when a wooden chopstick or spoon is inserted. Very carefully pour the hot oil over the ginger, garlic and scallions; it will sizzle and become very fragrant.
• Pour the soy sauce mixture over the eggplant. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold, with rice.