Description
This Chinese Barbecue Eggplant recipe features tender, charred eggplant strips marinated in a flavorful blend of soy sauces, garlic, ginger, and spices, then grilled to perfection. It’s a delicious vegetarian dish offering a smoky, sweet, and savory taste that makes for a perfect appetizer or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplant and Marinade
- 2 large eggplants, cut into 1-inch thick strips
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
Garnish
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat Grill: Heat your grill or grill pan to a medium-high temperature to prepare for cooking the eggplant strips evenly.
- Prepare Marinade: In a mixing bowl, whisk together canola oil, chopped garlic, grated ginger, tamari, sweet soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, and chili flakes if using. This creates a flavorful marinade for the eggplant.
- Marinate Eggplant: Immerse the eggplant strips in the marinade, making sure each piece is thoroughly coated. Let the eggplant soak in the marinade for at least 15 minutes to absorb all the flavors.
- Grill Eggplant: Once the grill is hot, place the marinated eggplant strips on it. Grill each side for about 4-5 minutes until the eggplant is tender and has desirable char marks.
- Serve: Transfer the grilled eggplant to a serving dish. Drizzle any leftover marinade over the top to enhance the flavor, then sprinkle with chopped green onions and sesame seeds as a garnish before serving.
Notes
- For spicier flavor, increase the chili flakes or add fresh sliced chilies.
- If you don’t have a grill, a grill pan or broiler works well as alternatives.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
- Marinating time can be extended up to 30 minutes for deeper flavor penetration.
- Canola oil can be substituted with another neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed oil.
