Chinese Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Sesame Recipe
Chinese-style roasted eggplant is a lighter alternative to the deep-fried version. The flesh turns buttery soft, while the top is coated in an aromatic garlic-soy sauce and sesame seeds. In China, this kind of eggplant is often served as an appetizer or a side dish with rice – at home it also works perfectly as a vegetarian main course.
This dish delivers the rich, umami-packed flavor of classic Chinese eggplant with a much lighter roasting method instead of deep-frying. The contrast between the silky-soft flesh, caramelized garlic-soy glaze and crunchy sesame makes it both comforting and elegant.
Chef's tips
Score the eggplant deeply so the sauce can soak in, but be careful not to cut through the skin or the pieces will fall apart. If your eggplants are very large, extend the initial baking time by a few minutes until the flesh is fully soft before adding the sauce.
How to serve
Serve as a main with steamed jasmine or basmati rice and a simple cucumber salad, or as part of a larger Asian-style spread with stir-fried greens and dumplings. It also works well as a topping for rice bowls or alongside grilled tofu.
Ingredients
- eggplant medium - 2 piece
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoon
- vegetable oil e.g. rapeseed - 2 tablespoon
- sesame oil for aroma - 1 teaspoon
- garlic finely chopped - 3 clove
- fresh ginger piece about 2 cm, grated - 10 g
- honey or sugar to balance the flavor - 1 tablespoon
- rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- chili flakes or less, to taste - 0.5 teaspoon
- white sesame seeds toasted in a dry pan - 1.5 tablespoon
- chives or spring onion chopped, for serving - 2 tablespoon
- salt a pinch for sprinkling the eggplants
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Wash the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. Score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern with a knife, cutting deeply but without piercing the skin.
- Place the eggplant halves on the tray, skin side down. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside for 10 minutes, until droplets of juice appear on the surface. Then gently pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Brush the tops of the eggplants with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, working it into the cuts. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the flesh softens.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a small bowl mix the soy sauce, the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey or sugar, grated ginger, chopped garlic and chili flakes.
- After 20 minutes of baking, remove the tray from the oven. Gently open up the cuts in the eggplants with a spoon and spread the prepared sauce evenly over the top.
- Return the eggplants to the oven and bake for another 8–10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and the edges of the eggplants are lightly browned.
- Sprinkle the baked eggplants with toasted sesame seeds and chopped chives. Serve hot, preferably with rice or bread.
Storage
Bakłażany przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku do 2 dni. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku w 180°C przez około 10 minut lub na patelni pod przykryciem z odrobiną wody.
