The other day, we bought a whole bag of 9 Japanese eggplant for just $0.99 in the bargain section. Peter used half of the bag to make an eggplant dish that many of you asked me about. Tonight, I used the other half of the bag to try and recreate his dish.
Keyword: try
One problem…I wasn’t paying attention when he made it the first time. I think I did okay though.
First, cut the Japanese eggplant into 1/2″ inch slices, on a slight diagonal.
Saute on high in 2-3 TBSP canola oil for a few minutes.
Add ~1/2 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Lower heat to medium and cover for 10-15 minutes.
I couldn’t determine which sauce my dad used, hoison or oyster. After giving them both a sniff test, I decided on hoison sauce (I picked wrong!).
Drizzle ~3 TBSP hoison sauce and stir until incorporated. Peter said the dish is typically made with oyster sauce. However, the oyster sauce we have in our cupboard isn’t very good so my nose chose correctly.
Peter’s Eggplant Dish
Ingredients
- 5 Japenese eggplant
- 2 T canola oil
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 T oyster sauce (or hoison sauce)
Directions
Cut the Japanese eggplant into 1/2″ inch slices, on a slight diagonal. Saute on high in 2-3 TBSP canola oil for a few minutes. Add ~1/2 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Lower heat to medium and cover over for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle ~3 TBSP hoison sauce/oyster sauce and stir until incorporated.
This is one of my favorite ways to eat eggplant. Oyster (or hoison) sauce really brings out the naturally mild taste of eggplant.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
so simple & yet so delicious. thats awesome.
Yum! The best eggplant I ever had was smothered in teriyaki sauce and served with tofu
YUUUM – that looks delicious!
I’m definitely trying this method
That looks great! I just recently tried eggplant for the FIRST time and now I can’t get enough. I love to saute it with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, and garlic! Gah, so yummy!!
That looks tasty! I love hoisin sauce!
Ooh that looks good! Have to go and buy some hoisin sauce now!
I can never get my eggplant to turn out like this. There has to be something I’m missing.
That looks awesome! If I make it, I’ll opt for the oyster sauce. I think hoisen tastes like medicine!
Delicious! I love any kind of Asian cuisine, and eggplant is one of my faves!
I’ve been meaning to buy my own hoisin sauce because I love asian-inspired dishes. I seriously could eat Chinese food for every meal
That looks awesome!
I need to make this for MY dad…he loooves eggplant! Thanks to Peter for sharing!
I’ve never tried making eggplant like this! For some reason I’m a little intimidated by eggplant, so I haven’t really experimented with cooking it very much.
This looks good though!
I had grilled eggplant for the first time this summer, and I loved it. Haven’t heard of the Japanese eggplant before…
After making a few really bad eggplant dishes, I am really nervous about trying another one. It is just so disappointing when food turns out badly
I adore eggplant, in any form.
Is japanese eggplant different than the normal kind?
Marina–
It’s thinner and lighter in color.
That’s a whole lotta eggplant to mow through in one sitting! I’ve only prepared it once of twice, without much success. Clearly, forgot the hoisin!
That looks delicious. Eggplant’s one of my favorite.
I love eggplant! I especially love eggplant lasagna. I would love to try this dish (but with a vegan sauce) so the eggplant can be the star ingredient! Sauce suggestions gladly accepted
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