Everyone has that one ingredient that, when they see it on a menu, they’re ordering it no matter what. For me, that’s eggplant. (By the way, hi, it’s Allison, filling in for Tanya.)
I know eggplant isn’t everyone’s first choice; I’ve heard plenty of accusations that it’s tough and bitter. But there was no rubbery eggplant to be found in my Chinese household growing up. It was a versatile player, and appeared in numerous forms: steamed and pillowy and tart with black vinegar; flash-fried and fragrant with garlic; stir-fried until plump and charred with soy sauce. I’m here to tell you that once you have the right recipes, eggplant is revelatory. And there are many, many right recipes.
Eggplant is at its most delicious when it’s soft. Once you remove any unpleasant bite, it becomes silky, almost creamy, and an above-average absorber of flavor. The beautiful thing is, you can achieve this softness through virtually any means of cooking.
Take, for example, this recipe for zaalouk from Nargisse Benkabbou, a fantastic Moroccan cooked salad slash dip that I continue to be astounded by. You simply cook down eggplant and grated tomatoes with spices until it all melts together into a delicious goop (stay with me). Scoop it up with pita and rejoice in the velvety texture.
Zaalouk (Eggplant and Tomato Salad)
Steaming is an underrated method for drawing out eggplant’s inherent silkiness. Hetty Lui McKinnon’s recipe for liang ban qie zi, which translates to “cold mixed eggplant,” is a classic Chinese preparation that calls for steaming eggplant and topping it with garlic, scallions and ginger. Then comes the fun part: Heat some neutral oil and pour it over the aromatics. The sizzling and popping that ensues is almost therapeutic, like an emotional release.
If you feel like keeping things simple, Clare de Boer’s recipe for spiced roasted eggplant is as easy as can be, and converted some self-proclaimed eggplant loathers in the comment section. Follow the reader tips there to air fry them if your oven is still on summer hiatus.
Then there’s Eric Kim’s eggplant Parmesan. His take on the Italian American classic is streamlined so you can enjoy it on a weeknight, sans deep frying. He slices the eggplant thin so there’s no chance of it being spongy, and gets it crispy in the oven before layering it with mozzarella, Parmesan and marinara.
Happy cooking!
Liang Ban Qie Zi (Eggplant With Garlic, Ginger and Scallions)
Spiced Roasted Eggplant
Eggplant Parmesan
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