Bulgogi-Style Eggplant

Bulgogi-Style Eggplant

By MAANGCHI
Total time 1 hour, 15 minutes
Serves 4
This recipe is one of our favorites from Maangchi’s Big Book of
Korean Cooking. We like to think of the sweet and salty dish as
a sort of vegetarian bulgogi. Marinating and pan-frying eggplant
keeps it firm, flavorful, and chewy—almost meaty. The marinade
glazes it as it cooks, so it glistens. Prepared this way, the eggplant
looks very special, even though the recipe is easy.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp. Piquant Post Korean Gochugaru

1⁄4 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1⁄4 cup rice syrup or 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1⁄2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 2 tsp.
Morton kosher salt, divided
1 lb. eggplant (preferably Korean)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

STEP 1

Mix onion, garlic, scallion, rice syrup,
soy sauce, gochugaru, sesame oil,
and 1⁄2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1⁄4 tsp.
Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl.
Set marinade aside.

STEP 2

Cut eggplant crosswise into 3"–4" pieces,
then slice pieces 1⁄2" wide by 1⁄4" thick.
Place in a large bowl and sprinkle
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 13⁄4 tsp.
Morton kosher salt over. Toss with your
hands until eggplant is evenly coated.
Let sit, tossing every 5 minutes or so,
20 minutes.

STEP 3

Drain eggplant; discard liquid and reserve
bowl. Tightly squeeze eggplant over the
sink a handful at a time to remove excess
liquid, then return to reserved bowl.
Add reserved marinade to eggplant and
toss to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

STEP 4

Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet
over medium-high. Transfer eggplant
with marinade to pan; spread out
evenly. Cook, undisturbed, until lightly
browned underneath, about 3 minutes.
Turn with a spatula or tongs and cook
until other side is lightly browned, about
3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium;
continue to cook, gently pressing into
pan and turning occasionally, until
cooked through and glazed (excess
marinade should have evaporated), about
5 minutes.

STEP 5

Transfer eggplant to a platter and
sprinkle with sesame seeds.

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