Thaeggplant Recipes

HOW TO COOK EGGPLANT - AN EASY THAI BASIL EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant into slices. Soak them in water with salt and vinegar. Let it stand for 15 minutes, then drain on a paper towel.
• Pan-fry the eggplant with some oil until both sides turn slightly brown.
• Stir Fry the minced meat with some oil in a pan. When cooked, push it aside and add the chopped garlic, onions, kaffir lime leaves, and chopped bird's eye chili. When they become aromatic, add the sauce B.
• Return the eggplant to the pan. Add some water and cook the eggplant until it is soft.
• Add a bunch of fresh basil leaves. Stir-fry until the leaves shrivel. Dish out and garnish with chopped red chili and more basil leaves.

EASY GREEK-STYLE EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a large bowl or directly over your sink, and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 20 minutes or so to allow eggplant to "sweat out" any bitterness. Rinse with water and pat dry.
• In a large braiser, heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, peppers, and chopped carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, then add garlic, bay leaf, spices, and a dash of salt. Cook another minute, stirring until fragrant.
• Now add eggplant, chopped tomato, chickpeas, and reserved chickpea liquid. Stir to combine.
• Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes or so. Stir often. Remove from stove top, cover and transfer to oven.
• Cook in oven for 45 minutes until eggplant is fully cooked through to very tender. (While eggplant is braising, be sure to check once or twice to see if more liquid is needed. If so, remove from oven briefly and stir in about 1/2 cup of water at a time.)
• When eggplant is ready, remove from oven and add a generous drizzle of Private Reserve EVOO, garnish with fresh herbs (parsley or mint). Serve hot or at room temperature with a side of Greek yogurt or even Tzatziki sauce and pita bread.

EGGPLANT CHIPS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick foil and spray them with olive oil spray.
• Using a sharp knife, slice the eggplants very thinly, into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
• Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Spray them with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
• Bake the chips in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, turn to the other side, spray with more oil, and bake until browned and crispy, 10-15 more minutes.*

JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH CHICKEN & THAI BASIL

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, massage the chicken with 2 tablespoons of water until it is completely absorbed, and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch until well incorporated. Set aside.
• Heat your wok over medium-high heat and coat it with 2 tablespoons of oil. Spread the eggplant out evenly in the wok, and let sear with the cover on the wok for 2 minutes. Remove the cover, turn the eggplant pieces over, and pour another tablespoon of oil around the perimeter. Cover the wok, and turn heat to medium-low for another 2 minutes until the eggplant is just tender. Next, raise the heat to high to cook the eggplant to a golden brown color--another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to your wok and heat until just smoking. Add the marinated chicken, and spread it around the wok. Let it sear for 30 to 60 seconds (depending upon your burner capacity) on each side. Remove from the wok and set aside.
• With the wok over high heat, add another tablespoon of oil, the garlic, the white parts of the scallions, and the basil. Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add the eggplant and chicken.
• Next, add the Shaoxing wine, and stir everything together. Add the fish sauce, sugar, soy sauces, sesame oil, and white pepper, and stir until everything is combined--about a minute. Next, add the green portion of the scallions.
• Pour the chicken stock around the perimeter of the wok to deglaze it. Stir fry until everything is well-combined, and most of the liquid has been absorbed by other ingredients. Serve with steamed jasmine rice!

THAI BASIL EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chile and garlic; cook and stir until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add eggplants to the fragrant garlic oil. Stir in water and cover. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until eggplants soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Uncover and stir in soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir well and continue cooking until all the water has evaporated and eggplant is coated with sauce, about 5 minutes. Add basil leaves and stir once; remove from heat.

THAI EGGPLANT STIR-FRY (WITH CHILI PASTE, PORK & BASIL)

Steps:

• Chop/prepare the eggplant, garlic, red chilies, Prik Kee Nu green chilies (if using), large red chili, yellow onion, and Thai sweet basil leaves as indicated in the 'Ingredients' section. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl filled with water and soak for 15-20 minutes. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, Bird's Eye red chilies, Prik Kee Nu green chilies into a coarse paste and set aside. (Or smash with the back of your knife and finely chop if you don't own a mortar and pestle.)
• Whisk together the Thai chili paste, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, tamarind paste, and water in a measuring cup (for easier pouring) or small bowl and set aside.
• Mix the corn starch and water in a measuring cup or bowl and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the eggplant and cook for 8-10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until slightly browned and tender. Transfer to a clean bowl and return the wok to the stovetop. (Don't worry if the eggplant isn't completely tender yet. The residual heat will allow it to continue cooking and become tender in the bowl.)
• Heat the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat in the wok. Once hot, add the onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds until slightly softened. Then add the smashed garlic chili paste and large red chili and toss to combine for 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Add the ground pork and ground white pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, breaking up the lumps with your spatula, until just cooked.
• Add the eggplant back into the wok and pour in the sauce. Toss briefly until everything is combined well and coated in the sauce.
• Give the corn starch slurry a quick stir with a spoon (the corn starch will have settled at the bottom of the measuring cup/bowl), then pour it into the wok. Toss for a minute until the sauce has thickened.
• Add the Thai sweet basil leaves and briefly toss until slightly wilted - about 15-20 seconds, then switch off the heat.
• Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with warm steamed rice.