How To Cook Roasted Eggplant

Of all the vegetables in the supermarket, the glossy, dark-purple eggplant might just be the most beautiful. But despite its attractiveness, many people find it an intimidating ingredient. Once you learn to cook eggplant, however, you’ll be able to use it in an enormous variety of dishes that span a world of cuisines, from Italian-American classics to Middle Eastern favorites. The key to eggplant is becoming familiar with it – learning to cook it in a basic roasted preparation is the perfect place to start. In this video, Chef Mark shows you how roast an eggplant, provides advice on choosing a good specimen and suggests a few different ways to use it. Give it a try yourself and see just how easy it is to master this vegetable that’s as tasty as it is lovely. For more great cooking demonstration videos, subscribe to the LearnToCookOnline YouTube channel.

Eggplant Recipe

Ingredients:
1-3 pound eggplant
1 ½ Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp. oyster sauce
3 Tbsp.fish sauce Nam Pla or Nuoc Mam
1 ½ Tbsp. soy sauce
5 Tbsp. peanut oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced
¾ tsp.red pepper flakes
4 ounces cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Method:
1. Pierce the eggplants 3 or 4 times and place on a baking sheet. Coat lightly with oil, cook in a preheated 350º oven for approximately 25 minutes or until tender.
2. Remove the eggplants and cut lengthwise. Allow the eggplants to cool. Scoop the meat from the eggplant into thick long pieces and discard the shell.

Now the eggplant is ready for any use, such as Baba Ghanouj for a Spicy Eggplant side dish try this recipe.
• Combine the sugar, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce in a bowl and mix well.
• Heat the peanut oil in a large sauté pan and add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook the mixture for one minute.
• Add the eggplant and cook for another minute or two.
• Add the sauce mixture and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and add the sesame oil and cilantro.
• Serve the eggplant warm or a room temperature.

If you have questions or comments about this video or recipe please leave them below.