My Husband Now Eats Eggplant — Recipe for Korean-style Steamed Eggplant

September 4, 2012
Posted by Michelle

My Husband Now Eats Eggplant — Recipe for Korean-style Steamed Eggplant

My husband used to hate eggplant. Would. Not. Eat it. That was problematic for me for two reasons: 1) I get a boatload in my CSA box each year and struggle to eat it myself and 2) Eggplant is delicious and I’d like to for him to be able to partake in its deliciousness (for my convenience, obviously). Well at some point (time has completely run together) he tasted it and said “Hm. This is good. Ok, I eat eggplant.” Just like that! I bet he liked it all along! Jerk.

(J/K! Love you, sweetums!)

(J/K! We don’t say sweetums. Gross.)

So now I get to cook eggplant for dinner! Like, for BOTH of us! Hooray! You can imagine my joy when I spotted this recipe that included three of my favorite things (I’m super into lists today, apparently!): 1) Eggplant, 2) Asian food and 3) an easy meal that I can make on a weeknight when I’m tired enough to go to bed at 6:30 and sleep until morning.

Korean-style Steamed Eggplant

Courtesy of Kimchi Mom

- 4 Asian eggplants (I used 5 or 6 little ones, actually. Just don’t use American eggplant, ok? Not flavorful enough.)
- 3 green onions
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil (Do not skip this! It is what makes it taste super authentic.)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- Something for heat — Add to taste. Kimchi Mom says to use kochugaru (coarse red pepper powder) but I don’t keep that on hand. I used Huy Fong chili garlic sauce (they make the sriracha most people have). Sriracha would work. Or skip the heat if you must.

Cut the ends off the eggplant and slice in half. You need a steamer basket for this… put it in whatever pot you use for steaming and fill with water up to the basket, not over. Put the eggplant in, turn the heat to medium-high, cover and steam for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your eggplant. My eggplants were fatter than Asian eggplant so it took more like 15 minutes to steam them fully.

While they are steaming, chop the green onions and mince the garlic. Mix everything — onions, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and chili sauce (or whatever) in a bowl.

When the eggplants are done, remove from the steamer and quarter. Put on a plate and pour as much sauce as you would like over them (just pour it all… it is too damn good not to).

This tasted like a dish I would get in a restaurant. It was so delicious… and light! Nothing cooked in heavy oils or anything. Nice, light, flavorful eggplant with that rich spicy sesame sauce.

We ate this hot on the night I prepared it and cold the night after — it was fantastic both times. This is a new fave.

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