grilled eggplant

it is a popular late night street food in guangzhou china, along with other skewers. we love it because of its bold, spicy flavour, particularly after a beer or two, or more… it is easy to make and does not require much attention in the process.  here we are using various chinese and international spices. but again, we encourage you to experiment different tastes and combinations.

large eggplant 2
garlic 2 gloves
dried chili flakes  2 tsp
sichuan pepper 2 tsp
cumin 2 tsp
coriander seeds 2 tsp
fennel seeds 2 tsp
white pepper 1/2 tsp
light soy sauce 3 tbsp
olive oil 6 tbsp

• grind all the dried spices and garlic in a food processor. or if you have the guns, a pestle and mortar
• heat oil in a pan and pour it into the bowl of ground spices, bringing out all the flavours
• add the soy sauce, mix well, set aside
• grill the eggplants, rotating every now and then, for about 30 min until soft
• cut under the stem, then slice down the middle to open the eggplant without cutting the skin on the other side
• smother the eggplants with the sauce, let them absorb and cook until desired softness

grind all the spices. we used a manual food processor… powered by priscilla 🙂

pour hot oil over the spices, and add soy sauce

grill the eggplant on all sides until soft

we love the rustic, robust flavour

commentaries

priscilla:

i usually do not like eggplant but this one is an exception. i love its silky smooth texture contrasted by big bold flavours.

jun:

yes you can buy a ready mix spice pack, but grinding whole spices releases more aroma

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