Eom-yang-ji (Fish-Fragrant Eggplant)
Baek Jong-won’s Eom-yang-ji: A Chinese-Style Eggplant Dish Recipe
Experience the delightful combination of tender and chewy eggplant with hearty ground pork. This dish is infused with a savory, spicy, and tangy sauce that will undoubtedly awaken your appetite and become a staple side dish for your rice. Get ready for a flavor explosion!
Main Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 80g ground pork
- 1 stalk green onion
- 3 Cheongyang peppers (Korean chili peppers)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 90ml water
- 95ml cooking oil
Sauce
- 1.5 Tbsp Doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1.5 Tbsp Doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, score the skin of the 2 eggplants with cross-shaped cuts, about 1cm apart. Make sure to cut deep into the flesh. This scoring allows the sauce to penetrate fully and helps the eggplant cook faster.
Step 2
Finely slice the 1 green onion and 3 Cheongyang peppers into thin strips. You can adjust the amount of Cheongyang peppers based on your spice preference.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the sauce that makes Eom-yang-ji so delicious. In a bowl, combine 1.5 Tbsp Doubanjiang, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1 Tbsp vinegar. Mix them well until thoroughly combined.
Step 4
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add 45ml of cooking oil. Place the scored eggplants in the pan and cook them until they are golden brown on both sides, approximately 5 minutes. Cooking the eggplant this way removes excess moisture, resulting in a chewier texture.
Step 5
Once the eggplant is almost done, push it to one side of the pan. Add the remaining 50ml of cooking oil to the empty space. Add the sliced green onion and stir-fry over medium heat until fragrant.
Step 6
When the green onion starts to turn golden brown, add the 80g of ground pork. Stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink and is well-cooked through.
Step 7
After the pork is cooked, push all the ingredients to one side of the pan. Pour 1/2 Tbsp of soy sauce into the empty space and let it sizzle for a moment to enhance its flavor before mixing it with the other ingredients.
Step 8
Now, add the prepared sauce, the sliced Cheongyang peppers, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, and 90ml of water to the pan. Stir everything together until well combined. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly.
Step 9
Finally, add the browned eggplant back into the pan. Arrange the eggplant so that the scored side faces down, allowing the sauce to penetrate the eggplant well. Cover the pan and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the Eom-yang-ji is complete! Serve it over hot rice for a delicious meal.
