Baked Garlic Eggplant

Serves 6

Recently I started a garden in my backyard. More so than the couple of random plants that I had. I have always loved to garden and have had one in Kentucky for almost a decade (or more). Starting a garden in Florida is a new experience and what I learned is that the summers here are hot. Most of what I grew is “growing,” but not producing fruit. The one plant that is abundant is my Japanese Eggplant Plant… I specify because my Black Beauty Eggplant Plant is not producing.

With that being said, the two varieties of eggplants are similar in nature, so the main difference between them is their shape and size. This dish is traditionally done in a wok or on the stove, but I decided to give it a go in the oven, because I like baking vegetables and most of the time they turn out great. This time, I should have baked them a little longer. Otherwise, it is a tasty dish. You can however substitute any type of eggplant for this dish.

In addition to the podcast, I am starting a new “short” series called The Journey of Food. This is planned to be one of the episodes, so please keep a lookout for it. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients:

The Eggplant

• 3-5 medium Japanese Eggplants

• 2 Tbl Salt

• 2 Tbl Cornstarch

The Sauce

• 3 Tsp Garlic Minced

• 2 Tsp Ginger Minced

• 2 Tbl Soy Sauce

• 1 Tbl Corn Oil

• 2 tsp Sugar

• 2 tsp Cornstarch

**Disclaimer: Recipes for cooking do not have to be exact in quantity or ingredient. If you have a different oil, type of salt, or any other ingredient, please use what you have. Enjoy!

Instructions:

Step 1: Rinse the eggplants, cut the top and bottom off and cut into ½-1 inch thick rectangular pieces. Place all on a sheet pan and salt well. Let sit for 15-30 minutes to help extract bitterness and moisture from the eggplant.

Step 2: While you are waiting, preheat the oven to about 425-450 degrees. After, rinse the excess salt off and pad dry. Toss generously in corn starch and put in a pan in the oven. Cook for about 20-30 minutes until soft.

Step 3: While the eggplant is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, corn oil, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl and mix well.

Step 4: When the eggplant is soft, pull out of the oven, and add sauce. Place back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes to allow all of the flavors to come together.

Step 5: To finish, add some toasted sesame seeds or finely chopped green onion. Enjoy!