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.

Print

Roasted Eggplants with Garlic (蒜香烤茄子)

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Easy to make roasted eggplants with fresh garlic

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Eggplant, garlic

Servings: 2

Calories: 564 kcal

Author: Elaine

Ingredients

• 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

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix oil with salt, light soy sauce and Chinese five spice powder.
2. 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.
3. 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

1. Smash garlic cloves and then finely chop. Mix with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1/4 teaspoon of Chinese five spice and pinch of salt.
2. Take the eggplants out and spread the garlic evenly on the surface. Roast for 10 minutes again.
3. Sprinkle chopped green onion and serve hot. If you want a spicy taste, add fresh chopped pepper or your favorite chili sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Eggplants with Garlic (蒜香烤茄子)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 564 Calories from Fat 504

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 56g 86%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Sodium 3940mg 164%

Potassium 422mg 12%

Total Carbohydrates 14g 5%

Dietary Fiber 5g 20%

Sugars 6g

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin A 1.7%

Vitamin C 8%

Calcium 3.5%

Iron 7.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.