Soft Braised Eggplant Salad
Delicious Eggplant Salad Recipe: Great for Cancer Prevention and Lowering Cholesterol
Today’s recipe post is all about eggplant, a true superfood! This purple wonder isn’t just good for preventing cancer; it’s also excellent for lowering cholesterol levels, a concern for many mothers. Since our home is overflowing with eggplants, they appear on our table quite frequently. I’m still curious how my dad never gets tired of them! Here’s a delightful eggplant salad, lovingly prepared by a daughter, that’s sure to be a hit.
Main Ingredients- 4 eggplants
Other Ingredients- 1/4 onion
- 2 stalks scallions (or a bit of green onion)
- 1.5 red chilies
Seasoning- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp traditional soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (Deulgireum)
- 1/4 onion
- 2 stalks scallions (or a bit of green onion)
- 1.5 red chilies
Seasoning- 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp traditional soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp regular soy sauce (Jin-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil (Deulgireum)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the eggplants thoroughly and prepare them.
Step 2
Trim off the stem ends of the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. This will make steaming and seasoning much easier.
Step 3
Fill a steamer pot with water and bring it to a boil. Then, place the eggplants on a steaming rack and steam them using the steam. This method ensures the eggplant stays moist and cooks to a tender consistency.
Step 4
Once the eggplants are tender, cut them into about three bite-sized pieces. (Tip: You can save time by cutting the eggplants before steaming them!)
Step 5
Cut the steamed eggplant pieces again into manageable sizes. Aim for pieces that are easy to mix and eat.
Step 6
If you have pre-steamed eggplant from the day before and refrigerated it, you can significantly reduce your cooking time. (I often do this when I’m short on time!) While the eggplant is steaming, let’s prepare the seasoning.
Step 7
In a large bowl, combine the traditional soy sauce, regular soy sauce, red pepper flakes, perilla oil, and minced garlic to make the seasoning mixture.
Step 8
If you’re using frozen minced garlic, making the seasoning mixture first will allow the garlic to thaw gradually while the flavors meld together beautifully.
Step 9
Now, prepare the supporting ingredients: scallions, red chilies, and onion. If you don’t have scallions, green onions or even regular green onions can be used, or you can omit them.
Step 10
Slice the prepared vegetables to a similar length as the eggplant pieces, or chop them finely. For the red chilies, cut them in half, remove the seeds, and then slice. Slice the onion thinly.
Step 11
Add the steamed eggplant and the prepared vegetables to the bowl with the seasoning. Gently mix everything together, being careful not to mash the eggplant. A gentle hand ensures the texture remains pleasant.
Step 12
Transfer the beautifully seasoned eggplant salad to a serving plate. It’s ready to be enjoyed! For an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
