Japanese Eggplant

[Psyche]

I have never found this recipe in a Japanese cookbook, but this is how my great-grandmother cooked eggplant.  Getting this food was a rare treat for me.  I now have two ichiban eggplants growing in the yard.

Note, I tried this with the European variety from the grocery store and it didn't work very well--too soft and spongy.

Ingredients

Japanese Eggplant
Salt (Prefer Kosher)
Flour
Spray oil

Thinly slice the eggplant the long way.  Lightly sprinkle with salt.  Lightly coat in flour.  (The flour will probably not stick to the skin and that's fine.)  Spray with oil until flour is "moistened." (I use a pump with olive oil, but PAM works.)  Cook in a frying pan on medium to medium high heat until browned; turn over and brown again.  Place on paper towel to sop up any extra oil.  If cooking several eggplants you may need to use a paper towel and rub off any accumulated flour in the pan.

Thinner slices and higher heat makes more of a chip.  Thicker and lower heat makes them tender.  I've also wanted to try them in a fryer, but that's an experiment I'll have to leave to someone else.  Perhaps tempura style?

[Rockporter]

This sounds like something I want to try.  My eggplant didn't make it but I will try again.  Tempura sounds good but I don't care to cook anything in a huge pot of oil so that is problaby out for me.  Thanks for the recipe.

[chicagoEB]

I have never found this recipe in a Japanese cookbook, but this is how my great-grandmother cooked eggplant.  Getting this food was a rare treat for me.  I now have two ichiban eggplants growing in the yard.
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 Perhaps tempura style?

Dude this recipe could not have come at a more perfect time. I have ichiban eggies too and I was wondering what to do with them! Will try this today and report back if successful!!

[sin989]

         Never thought I even liked eggplant until I had fresh! We basically cook ours the same way except we use eggwash and breadcrumbs. Keep the heat on and crisp the outside a little bit. I do like to let them sit in the salt to ward off any bitterness. Good Stuff with a spicy dipping sauce.

[Normascardwell]

We love eggplant cooked in many ways. When I have an abundance, I cook it down ( either in microwave or oven or top of stove, covered, adding  a small amount of water.  When it is cooked down, I freeze it. Freezes best in sealing bags, not zip locks. I then use it in my spaghetti sauce made from scratch with tomatoes grown in EB.. Can use it with purchased sauce as well.   Also use it in dressings or stuffing as in stuffed bellpeppers or rice dressing. People who say they don't eat eggplant love this and want to know what the secret ingredient is.

[greenesmith]

Normascardwell - Please tell me what you mean by "cook it down".  I have so much eggplant and would love to know how to freeze it.  Thanks!

[Psyche]

Dude this recipe could not have come at a more perfect time. I have ichiban eggies too and I was wondering what to do with them! Will try this today and report back if successful!!

How did the eggplant turn out?  Need any tweaking to the recipie?