Baked Aubergine Chinese Style

30 August

I have always been a huge fan of baked or roasted vegetables and seafood. Roasting is such a healthy and delicious way to prepare your vegetables. The dry heat of the oven caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables, which brings about an amazing depth of flavor. The result is a sweet, nutty, toasty flavor. And moreover they are easy to make. It practically cooks on its own! And that's why they are the perfect things for a weeknight dinner when you don't need to spend too much time in the kitchen.

These aubergines will be melt in the mouth soft with a crispy caramelized texture somewhat similar to the Bengali Begun Bhaja but a little more healthy counterpart. For the seasoning sauce you can practically use anything you love. I have made this using the Buldak sauce left over from some Korean ramen packet. But if you don't have Buldak sauce available, then just go for the traditional Chinese sauce mix with honey, soya sauce and garlic and it still tastes amazing like hell! I had this roasted aubergine with steamed rice and moong daal the same way we Bengalis consume Begun bhaja. But if you want you can have them with any side of your choice. It pairs up well with pretty much any sides.

Tips for making good roasted vegetables:

1. Slice veggies evenly to ensure even cooking
2. Don't skimp on the Oil - Oil helps the vegetables cook more evenly and crisp. It also adds a rich flavor that makes roasted vegetables irresistible.
3. Don't over crowd the baking sheet  - allow everything to sit in a single layer. Crowding will make the vegetables steam instead of roast, and that’s the opposite of what we want.
4. Season well - Be very generous with the seasoning, that's what is going to add all the beautiful taste and flavor
5. Perfect Temperature - 200 degree Celsius / 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for most roasted vegetables. It allows for a crispy, perfectly browned exterior and a fork tender interior. It does vary based on the water content in the vegetable. Vegetables with more water content needs higher temperature. But when in doubt, go for 200C/400F.
6. Prefer cooking without Parchment paper - While parchment paper helps in easy cleaning of the sheet pan, but it prevents even roasting. So it is always recommended to use the sheet pan without the parchment paper

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Baking Time : 30- 40 minutes

Serves - 1 adult

Ingredients :

• Aubergine - 1 big 
• Soya Sauce- 2 tsp
• Fish Sauce - 1/2 tsp
• Ground Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Powdered Sugar - 1 tsp
• Bird's eye chilli/ red chilli - 2 finely chopped
• Garlic cloves - 5, finely pounded
• Salt - for taste
• Sesame Oil / Cooking Oil - 3 tbsp

Garnish:

• Roasted sesame - 1 tsp
• Garlic Chives - 2 tsp , chopped finely

Equipment:

• Baking Sheet
• Knife

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200C/400F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Slice the aubergine in half, lengthwise with its stalk. With a sharp paring knife and make long cuts down the length of the aubergine. Take care not to slice through the skin. Repeat with perpendicular cuts to form cubes. 

Note: It’s the same way one scores a mango. For visual reference check the images.

3.  To make the sauce, take a small bowl, mix the honey, soya sauce, fish sauce, salt, ground black pepper, pounded garlic cloves, chopped red chilli and sesame oil.

Score the Aubergine and apply the sauce generously

4.  Now place the aubergines in a baking dish (if required line it with a parchment paper), skin side down. Brush both sides of the aubergine generously with the sauce. Make sure the sauce gets into all the cuts. 

Tip 1: If you have time, preheat just the sheet pan in the oven. Adding the oil-coated vegetables to the hot pan will create an exterior that's crisp and caramelized.

Tip 2: I like to add some additional vegetables on the sides while roasting the aubergines. This time I added potatoes and garlic , you can add anything of your choice. Drizzle them with the same sauce.

5. Roast the aubergines for 30 to 40 minutes depending upon the size of the aubergine. Keep checking after 30 minutes for doneness.

6. Remove the aubergines from the oven. Garnish it with toasted sesame seeds and garlic chives.