Crispy and Tender Fried Eggplant
Craving Fried Eggplant on a Rainy Day? Here’s the Perfect Recipe for Crispy Outside, Tender Inside Fried Eggplant!
Don’t you just crave something oily and comforting on a rainy day? We’ll show you how to make delicious and satisfying fried eggplant using one of the most affordable ingredients: eggplant! ^ㅡ^ It’s wonderfully crispy on the outside and incredibly soft on the inside.
Ingredients for Fried Eggplant
- 3 eggplants (medium size)
- 30g chives
- 50g carrot
- 1/2 onion
- 200g minced pork
- 1/2 block firm tofu (160g)
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 4 Tbsp tempura flour
- All-purpose flour (for coating eggplant)
- Pinch of black pepper
- Cooking oil (for frying)
Soy Sauce Dipping Sauce
- Soy sauce (to taste)
- Sesame oil (to taste)
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
- Sesame seeds (to taste)
- Soy sauce (to taste)
- Sesame oil (to taste)
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
- Sesame seeds (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Here are all the ingredients you’ll need for our crispy and tender fried eggplant. We have 3 medium eggplants, 30g of chives, 50g of carrot, half an onion, 200g of minced pork, half a block of firm tofu (160g), 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 2 eggs, 4 tablespoons of tempura flour, some all-purpose flour for coating, a pinch of pepper, 1 tablespoon of salt, and cooking oil for frying.
Step 2
Let’s start by preparing the vegetables for the eggplant filling. First, thinly slice the onion. Slicing them thinly will help them blend well with the other filling ingredients.
Step 3
Now, divide the sliced onion into three parts and finely chop them. This will create a filling that’s easy to work with.
Step 4
Next, thinly slice the carrot into rounds. This adds a lovely pop of color to the filling.
Step 5
Then, julienne the carrot into thin strips. Make sure the strips aren’t too thick so they cook evenly.
Step 6
Just like the onion, finely chop the julienned carrots. It’s important that all the chopped vegetables are roughly the same size for a pleasant texture.
Step 7
Chop the chives into pieces similar in size to the carrots and onions. Their fresh green color will make the filling look appealing and taste brighter.
Step 8
And there you have it! The chives, onion, and carrot for our eggplant filling are all prepped and ready. Look at these colorful vegetables – they already look delicious!
Step 9
Now, let’s prepare the star of our dish: the eggplant. First, trim off the stem end of each eggplant.
Step 10
Slice the eggplants diagonally into pieces about 1 cm thick. Avoid slicing them too thinly, as they might break apart during frying. A moderate thickness is best.
Step 11
Make shallow slits on both sides of each eggplant slice. These slits will create pockets for the filling and help the eggplant cook through evenly. Be gentle to avoid cutting all the way through the eggplant.
Step 12
Once all the eggplant slices have been slit, they’ll be perfectly ready to be generously filled. This also gives them a lovely presentation.
Step 13
Wrap the tofu in a cheesecloth or paper towels and squeeze out as much water as possible. Excess moisture can make the filling soggy and dilute its flavor.
Step 14
Now it’s time to make the delicious filling for our fried eggplant! In a bowl, combine the minced pork, the squeezed tofu, and all the chopped vegetables (onion, carrot, chives).
Step 15
Let’s season the filling. Start by sprinkling in a good amount of black pepper. This helps eliminate any porky smell and adds a lovely aroma.
Step 16
Add 1 tablespoon of salt. It’s important not to over-salt at this stage, as we’ll be using a soy sauce dip later. This is just a light seasoning.
Step 17
Don’t forget to add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic for that wonderful flavor boost. The garlic will blend beautifully with the meat and vegetables.
Step 18
Put on a pair of disposable gloves and knead the filling mixture thoroughly with your hands. Keep mixing and kneading until the mixture becomes cohesive and slightly sticky. This ensures the filling holds together well.
Step 19
Now, let’s prepare for the frying process. Arrange the slit eggplant slices, the all-purpose flour, and the prepared filling.
Step 20
Lightly coat each eggplant slice with all-purpose flour, making sure to get some inside the slits and on both outer sides. Gently shake off any excess flour to prevent a thick coating.
Step 21
Generously stuff the filling into the slits of each eggplant slice! Don’t be shy with the filling; more filling makes for a tastier fried eggplant.
Step 22
Just before frying, it’s time to give our eggplant a delicious crispy coating. Gather the filled eggplants, the beaten eggs, and the tempura flour.
Step 23
In a bowl, beat the 2 eggs well, then whisk in the 4 tablespoons of tempura flour.
Step 24
Gradually add a little water to the egg and flour mixture. Be careful not to make it too thin.
Step 25
Use a whisk to mix until you achieve a smooth batter with a slightly thin consistency. It should be just enough to coat the eggplant lightly; a very thick batter will result in a heavy coating.
Step 26
Let’s whip up a simple soy sauce dipping sauce to go with our fried eggplant. You’ll need soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds. It’s quick to make but adds so much flavor!
Step 27
Pour a moderate amount of soy sauce into a small bowl. You can adjust the amount to your preference.
Step 28
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of color and mild heat. Feel free to add more if you like it spicier.
Step 29
Finally, drizzle in a little sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Stir everything together, and your delicious soy sauce dipping sauce is ready!
Step 30
Now for the main event: frying the eggplant! Pour a generous amount of cooking oil into a deep pan and preheat it over medium heat. The ideal frying temperature is around 170-180°C (340-355°F). Test the oil by dropping a bit of batter; it should sizzle and float immediately.
Step 31
Carefully dip the filled eggplant slices into the batter, ensuring they are evenly coated. Then, gently place them into the hot oil.
Step 32
Fry the eggplant pieces one by one until they are golden brown and crispy. Eggplant cooks relatively quickly, so keep the heat at medium-low to prevent burning. Flip them occasionally to ensure even cooking on both sides.
Step 33
Once perfectly golden and crisp, remove the fried eggplant from the oil and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain any excess oil. You now have beautifully crispy on the outside, tender on the inside fried eggplants! Serve them with the prepared soy sauce dipping sauce for an amazing treat. Even picky eaters will love these! It’s amazing how such an affordable ingredient like eggplant can become such a fantastic dish. Enjoy your delicious fried eggplant on this rainy day! ^ㅡ^
