Char Siu Eggplant
Yes, I do know that it is Thursday, not my usual day to post. But you see, the erratic summer schedule has already begun in the Crichton household (one of the many reasons why I take a break from posting for the next couple of months). Reed returned home after finishing his third year at UVA, and Mattes graduated from Lehigh this past weekend! Kyle flew in from Boise, and we had the most amazing family weekend. We laughed, spent time with Mattes’ friends and their families, met the parents of Mattes’ wonderful boyfriend Dan, swapped stories at the Lehigh Legacy Luncheon, and played way too many games of pool, running the table at Grog until midnight. We are so proud of the way that Mattes navigated her college experience, and her graduation was the icing on the cake.
On Sunday night, after most of the families had gone and things were winding down, Mattes, Kyle and I went out for Chinese food. Bethlehem is not necessarily known for its authentic Chinese cuisine, but Mattes said her Chinese friends recommended this restaurant, and the minute we walked in, I knew we were in for a treat. The restaurant was plain but clean, and at the few occupied tables, Chinese families were enjoying their meals. We ordered spicy cold noodles, sesame tofu, sauteed bok choy with garlic, and Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce. Which leads me to this recipe, which is not the same as the one that we gobbled up, but equally as delicious.
Char Siu Eggplant is the recipe that introduced me to Hetty Sui McKinnon, a Chinese-Australian cookbook author. McKinnon’s cookbook, Tenderheart, is a love letter to her father. McKinnon’s father worked in the wholesale produce business, and he imparted his love for the freshest vegetables to his family, neighbors, and everyone he generously gifted with the fruits of his labor.
Traditionally, char siu refers to a strips of barbecued pork with its signature lacquered red exterior. In this iteration, eggplant replaces pork and the vegetable does a fantastic job of absorbing the sweet, fruity marinade and gets wonderfully caramelized when cooked. Char Siu Eggplant is a vegetable dish that, when served with rice (I prefer white sushi rice here), becomes a perfect main course.
And with this, I will be signing off only to return in the fall armed with an arsenal of exciting new recipes to share with you all. I hope that everyone has a great summer filled with family, friends, good health, and great food. Enjoy!
Char Siu Eggplant
Ingredients
Char Siu Sauce
- 2 small garlic cloves, grated
- 1/4 c hoisin sauce
- 4 tsp soy sauce or tamari
- 4 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
Eggplant
- 2 large eggplants (about 1 ¾ lb) sliced into discs about 1/2" thick
- olive oil
- rice, to serve I prefer sushi rice
- 2 scallions, finely sliced for topping
- Toasted white sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- To make the char siu sauce, whisk together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the eggplant slices and marinate for 30–60 minutes or up to 4 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Lay the marinated eggplant slices on the prepared pan, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and flip the eggplant over. Using a pastry brush, baste each slice with the marinade and drizzle with more olive oil, then return to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes. When cooked, brush the tops of the eggplant slices with more of the marinade and season well with sea salt.
- Serve the eggplant with rice, topped with the green onion and sesame seeds.
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