Gochujang-Glazed Eggplant With Fried Scallions
Published September 29, 2020
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 pound Asian eggplant (about 3 large; preferably Korean, or Chinese or Japanese), halved lengthwise and cut into 4- to 5-inch segments
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 packed teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
½ cup olive oil
4 scallions, trimmed, cut into 3-inch segments, then very thinly sliced lengthwise, white and green parts separated
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
9 grams carbs; 177 calories; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 364 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 5 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place the eggplant in a colander set inside a large bowl or the sink. Sprinkle with the salt, toss to combine and let sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
- Step 3
To a large nonstick skillet, add the olive oil and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat to medium and fry the scallions, stirring often, until crispy and evenly browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried scallions onto a paper towel.
- Step 4
Reserve a small handful of raw scallion greens for garnish, then fry the remaining scallion greens in the oil until crispy and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer fried scallion greens onto a paper towel.
- Step 5
Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully pour the hot scallion oil into a glass container or measuring cup.
- Step 6
After the 30 minutes of salting, dry the eggplant segments with a paper towel. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved scallion oil.
- Step 7
When the oil starts to shimmer and you see a wisp of smoke, add half the eggplant, cut sides down, and fry until browned and starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip once and cook another minute on the other side. Transfer to a plate, add 2 more tablespoons of scallion oil back to the pan, and repeat to fry the second batch of eggplants. (If you are lucky enough to have any scallion oil left, use it to fry eggs or to dress a salad.)
- Step 8
Finally, sauce the eggplants: Add the first batch of eggplants back to the pan alongside the second batch. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the reserved gochujang sauce over the eggplants. Toss until evenly coated and the gochujang starts to caramelize, about 1 minute.
- Step 9
Plate the eggplants on a large platter and garnish with the fried scallions and the reserved raw scallion greens. Serve immediately. (To store for later, transfer to a resealable container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. This dish tastes great cold, straight out of the fridge, or at room temperature.)
Private Notes
Comments
Brilliant recipe - the scallions are the star!!. I used a wok. You can do the scallions more simply by starting with the white parts and adding in the green as the whites just start to color. Putting a lid on the wok while cooking the eggplant makes sure they get nice and soft. We served with steamed Bok Choi with a white miso/lime dressing and white rice.
"Sprinkle with the salt, toss to combine and let sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture." excess moisture moisture sture ure re e .
I have never salted the thin style eggplants and they have never been bitter. I skipped this step and the result was still delicious.
I’ve made this a couple times now. Both times I used Italian eggplant cut to size, and it was great. I sautéed chicken thigh pieces before adding the eggplant back in and saucing the dish. I think Asian eggplant would be better, but they’re difficult to find around where I live. That sauce has some heat to it, which i believe is partly dependent on the brand of gochujang so taste the sauce as you’re adding it in to not overdue it.
Most of the work in this recipe is for the scallion oil and garnish. If you're short on time, skip making the scallion oil (scandalous, I know!) and you have a much quicker recipe that is still flipping tasty. I used a high-smoke point neutral oil instead and it was still incredibly good - I found most of the flavor of this excellent excellent dish is the sauce.
@Libby agreed. I’ve only made this with the scallions once, which is admittedly tasty, but as a practical matter unnecessary for enjoying this otherwise tasty meal.
Excellent despite my many adjustments! Didn't have quite enough gochujang, had more like 2 lbs of eggplant, had chives instead of scallions, added ginger to the sauce, started cooking the eggplant in the wok and then got impatient and switched it into the oven at 400° for 25ish mins, added some random pre baked tofu that needed to be used, but did stick to as much of the recipe as I could manage after all that and it's great! added quick-pickled cucumbers and that was perfect.