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Roll-Cutting and Dry-Frying some Chinese Eggplants
by
The Crispy Cook
Calificación: 4.0
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,%20while%20the%20young%20'un%20enjoyed%20scoring%20a%20huge%20bag%20of%20Happy%20(rice)%20Crackers%20and%20some%20delicious%20to-go%20foods%20from%20the%20take-out%20bar.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESome%20sensuously-curved,%20light%20purple%20Chinese%20eggplants%20called%20to%20me%20and%20I%20brought%20them%20home%20to%20play%20around%20with.%20I%20have%20never%20cooked%20with%20any%20eggplant%20other%20than%20the%20glossy%20purple-black%20aubergines%20of%20the%20Mediterranean%20variety,%20but%20I%20had%20read%20that%20the%20slender%20Chinese%20and%20Japanese%20varieties%20are%20less%20bitter%20and%20more%20tender,%20which%20I%20found%20to%20be%20slightly%20true.%20Certainly%20more%20experimentation%20with%20these%20gorgeous%20members%20of%20the%20nightshade%20family%20are%20in%20order%20here%20at%20Crispy%20Cook%20Central.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMy%20first%20step%20was%20to%20pore%20through%20my%20well-loved%20copy%20of%20the%20late%20Barbara%20Tropp's%20%22China%20Moon%20Cookbook%22%20(NY:%20Workman%20Press,%201992).%20%20Tropp's%20blend%20of%20traditional%20Chinese%20cooking%20techniques%20and%20ingredients,%20Yiddish-spiced%20instructions%20and%20California%20pizzazz%20always%20wows%20me,%20and%20I%20love%20her%20clear%20instructions%20that%20break%20down%20restaurant%20cooking%20results%20into%20components%20that%20a%20home%20cook%20can%20understand.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETropp%20offered%20a%20few%20recipes%20for%20wonderful%20eggplant-centric%20dishes%20(I've%20made%20her%20Strange%20Flavor%20Eggplant%20several%20times%20to%20rave%20reviews),%20but%20her%20siren%20song%20description%20of%20%22Dry-Fried%20Chinese%20Eggplant%20Nuggets%22%20as%20her%20favorite%20Chinese%20eggplant%20dish,%20bar%20none,%20made%20my%20decision%20for%20me.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20dish%20involves%20a%20roll-cutting%20technique%20which%20I%20had%20never%20tried.%20%20It's%20easy%20to%20do%20but%20hard%20to%20describe.%20%20Basically,%20you%20make%20one%2045%20degree%20slice%20at%20one%20end%20of%20your%20vegetable%20and%20then%20roll%20it%20180%20degrees%20and%20make%20another%2045%20degree%20slice%20at%20your%20desired%20thickness.%20You%20end%20up%20with%20chunky,%20somewhat%20triangular%20segments%20of%20eggplant,%20which%20have%20a%20lot%20of%20surface%20area%20to%20absorb%20cooking%20heat%20and%20sauciness,%20not%20to%20mention%20a%20whole%20bunch%20of%20visual%20style.%20Ming%20Tsai%20has%20a%20short%20video%20segment%20on%20roll-cutting%20carrots%20and%20zucchini%20here%20which%20I%20found%20helpful%20before%20I%20attempted%20hacking%20away%20at%20my%20beautiful%20lavender-colored%20eggplants.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAren't%20those%20eggplant%20slices%20beautiful?%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThey%20lose%20their%20gorgeous%20purple%20color%20when%20they%20are%20cooked%20up,%20but%20the%20resulting%20mixture%20of%20spicy%20and%20sweet%20flavors%20surrounding%20these%20soft%20hunks%20of%20eggplant%20tantalize%20the%20other%20senses%20quite%20nicely.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESweet%20and%20Salty%20Braised%20Chinese%20Eggplant%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3Eadapted%20from%20Barbara%20Tropp's%20%22Dry-Fried%20Chinese%20Eggplant%20Nuggets%22%20in%20her%20China%20Moon%20Cookbook.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESlice%20top%20and%20tail%20off%20your%20eggplants%20and%20then%20roll%20cut%20them%20into%20one%20inch%20pieces.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMix%20together%20chili%20paste,%20soy%20sauce,%20palm%20sugar,%20black%20rice%20vinegar%20and%20hot%20water%20and%20stir%20until%20sugar%20dissolves.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHeat%203%20Tbsp.%20peanut%20oil%20in%20hot%20wok%20or%20large,%20heavy%20frying%20pan%20over%20medium-high%20heat.%20Add%20minced%20ginger,%20garlic%20and%20most%20of%20the%20sliced%20scallions%20(reserving%20some%20to%20garnish%20the%20dish).%20Cook%201%20minute,%20stirring%20constantly.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20eggplant%20chunks%20and%20cook,%20stirring%20frequently,%20until%20browned%20on%20all%20sides.%20Add%20another%20Tbsp.%20of%20peanut%20oil%20if%20the%20pan%20gets%20dry,%20but%20no%20more,%20because%20eggplant%20is%20like%20a%20big%20sponge%20when%20it%20comes%20to%20absorbing%20cooking%20oil.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EStir%20in%20chili%20paste%20sauce%20mixture%20and%20let%20mixture%20come%20to%20a%20boil.%20Lower%20heat,%20cover%20and%20braise%20until%20liquid%20has%20mostly%20been%20absorbed%20and%20eggplant%20is%20soft,%20about%203-5%20minutes.%20Garnish%20with%20reserved%20sliced%20scallions.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMakes%204%20main%20dish%20servings.%20We%20enjoyed%20it%20over%20hot%20steamed%20basmati%20rice.%20Delectable!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20am%20sending%20this%20dish%20using%20my%20new%20found%20favorite%20vegetable,%20the%20Chinese%20Eggplant,%20to%20Weekend%20Herb%20Blogging%20which%20is%20hosted%20this%20week%20by%20Honest%20Vanilla.%20Weekend%20Herb%20Blogging%20is%20housed%20over%20at%20Cook%20Almost%20Anything%20by%20awesome%20food%20blogger%20and%20photographer,%20Haalo,%20and%20you'll%20find%20four%20years%20of%20weekly%20recaps,%20rules%20for%20WHB,%20and%20other%20great%20recipes%20and%20blog%20posts%20at%20this%20wonderful%20site.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}