Super easy roasted long eggplants with garlic.
For those who are on a vegan diet, eggplant is the ideal food as a substitute for meats. When well cooked, eggplant is my first choice over any type of meats. In summer days, young and fresh eggplants are almost everywhere in the market. A simplest way is to make a spicy Sichuan style eggplants salad, make an easy red-braised Chinese eggplants with minced pork or stir-fry with green beans or other vegetables.
No matter how you plan to cook those freshly picked eggplants, a larger amount of oil can almost help to make the eggplant softer and more yummy. I use a large amount of oil in this roasted eggplants too. It is vegan-friendly, you can slightly reduce the oil used if you are on a diet. But you should use at least 1/4 cup of oil on three eggplants.
Ingredients
- 3 long purple eggplants, Japanese eggplants
- 3 whole garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup of oil
- 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. Chinese five spice powder
- 2 green onions, green part only, finely chopped
- garlic chili sauce or other sauce (optional for a spicy taste)
Steps
Wipe the eggplant clean and slice them in half lengthwise. With the tip of a knife, score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern by making several long cuts, cutting at a steep angle, and then rotating the eggplant to make another set of similar cuts. This step helps the eggplants to absorb the oil and seasonings.
In a small bowl, mix oil with salt, light soy sauce and Chinese five spice powder.
Heat oven to 210 degree C. Then brush 1/2 of the oil mixture on the surface and then roast for 15 minutes. Take out and brush the remaining oil mixture. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes until the eggplants become soft and the edges are slightly curly.
Prepare the garlic
Smash garlic cloves and then finely chop. Mix with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1/4 teaspoon of Chinese five spice and pinch of salt.
Take the eggplants out and spread the garlic evenly on the surface. We have another option here, you can fry the garlic on low heat until slightly browned if you don’t like the taste of fresh garlic. Roast for 10 minutes again.
Sprinkle chopped green onion and serve hot. If you want a spicy taste, add fresh chopped pepper or your favorite chili sauce.
- 3 long purple eggplants ,Japanese eggplants
- 3 whole garlic ,peeled
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. Chinese five spice powder
- 2 green onions ,green part only, finely chopped
- garlic chili sauce or other sauce ,optional for a spicy taste
-
In a small bowl, mix oil with salt, light soy sauce and Chinese five spice powder.
-
Wipe the eggplant clean and slice them in half lengthwise. With the tip of a knife, score the flesh deeply in a diamond cross-hatch pattern by making several long cuts, cutting at a steep angle, and then rotating the eggplant to make another set of similar cuts. This step helps the eggplants to absorb the oil and seasonings.
-
Heat oven to 210 degree C. Then brush 1/2 of the oil mixture on the surface and then roast for 15 minutes. Take out and brush the remaining oil mixture. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes until the eggplants become soft and the edges are slightly curly.
-
Smash garlic cloves and then finely chop. Mix with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1/4 teaspoon of Chinese five spice and pinch of salt.
-
Take the eggplants out and spread the garlic evenly on the surface. Roast for 10 minutes again.
-
Sprinkle chopped green onion and serve hot. If you want a spicy taste, add fresh chopped pepper or your favorite chili sauce.
The meat of the eggplants become super soft after roasting. But you should never miss the skins, they are the hidden star.
Happy cooking, if you make yummy dishes with Elaine’s recipe. You can tag #chinasichuanfood and send me a photo on Instagram. I love your brilliant works.
I am *always* trying to figure out what I can do with eggplant, so I really appreciate this recipe. 感谢！
You are the most welcome, Shannon. It is really yummy and has been my favorite way to cook eggplants in summer because I don’t need to stand in front of the hot stove.
The recipe calls for 3 whole garlic – is that 3 whole bulbs?
Yes, whole bulbs.
Loved it! Also because you don’t have to fry it.
Agree! Eggplants are quite yummy but not easy to fry. Usually involve lots of oil.
I think you should skip salt, I couldn’t even eat mine, so salty..
This recipe is amazing!! A new favorite for sure. I don’t usually like eggplant but this changed my mind. Its so sweet and so savory.
You get it Nicole. It is the best way to cook eggplants.
Hello, I’m excited to try this. Could I prepare the eggplant and store it in the fridge and roast it the next day? Thanks!
Emily,
I would love to cook eggplant freshly prepared since they are quite easy to oxidize. But you can try with a small layer of oil brushed on surface.
When I lived in China. This was one of my favorite street foods! Thank you for posting this recipe! I am so excited to make it.
Jenna,
Try to get pickled green beans. They are the best partners.
A great and easy way to cook eggplant. I didn’t know five spice worked so well with eggplant. I’ll make this again for sure. Thanks for a excellent recipe.
Thank you, Ed!!