Steamed Eggplant with Sesame and Green Onion from "Plenty More"

My latest attempt from Plenty More was a simple side dish that highlights an ingredient that rarely takes center stage in my side dish repertoire: Eggplant. Typically, this ingredient is reserved for main dish staples such as Eggplant Parmesan or as a part of a vegetable medley in Asian curry dishes.

The thing that I love and hate about eggplant is that it soaks us so much liquid that it achieves a fantastic tenderness and takes on the flavor profile of whatever it is cooking in. The "hate" comes in when that "soaking up" effect is primarily driven by oil. These suckers can be deceptively unhealthy when they act as an oil sponge - but that's also what helps them achieve their silky, tender texture.

So how does one cook eggplant in a way that minimizes fat and retains moisture? I suppose Ottolenghi would know a thing or two about "healthy" eggplant techniques. Sure enough, he had a brilliantly simple technique that I had never tried before - but it makes perfect sense.

Steaming. Using indirect moisture to cook and tenderize the eggplant. Brilliant!

The oil is then used as a dressing rather than a cooking ingredient.

The result is a tender eggplant, lightly dressed with a rich, Asian-inspired concoction that is slightly sweet (from the maple syrup and mirin), a bit nutty (sesame oil), with a ting of acid (rice wine vinegar) and a whole lot of umami (soy sauce). It's decadent and light at the same time.

I used a bamboo steamer which adds a slight "bamboo" flavor. Ottolenghi simply calls for using a regular steamer or colander set over a pan of water. Either way works.

And just a side-note. The dish is served "cooled" or at room temperature. So that got me thinking about how perfect this would be to bring for a picnic or a potluck. Something unique and easy that will be sure to impress.

Enjoy this healthy method for cooking eggplant!

Steamed Eggplant with Sesame and Green Onion
Plenty More p. 40
serves four

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants, topped and peeled (scant 1 1/2 lb/650 g)
• 5 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal (3/4 cup/70 g)
• 1 tbsp/10 g mixed black and white sesame seeds, toasted

Dressing:

• 2 1/2 tsp mirin
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• salt

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot (for which you have a lid) with water to a quarter of the way up the sides and bring to a boil. Place the eggplants in a steamer or a colander hovering over the water, making sure the water doesn't touch the base of the steamer. Alternately, you could use a bamboo steamer placed in a wide pot. Cover tightly, using foil to seal the edges if you need to, and steam for 30 minutes, turning the eggplants once. When the eggplants are cooked, remove the steamer from the pot and leave the eggplants to cool and drain inside the steamer. Shred the flesh by hand into long, thin strips 1/4 inch/5 mm wide, then continue to drain for another 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Mix together the mirin, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in the ginger and garlic and set aside.
3. Once the eggplant strips are completely cool, gently toss them with the dressing before adding the green onions and sesame seeds. Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes and then serve.

We served this with miso-glazed scallops and a simple green salad. And for the beverage - we chose a pick from our wine club (Anaba): Muscat. Now, I am guilty for making the mistake of confusing Muscat and Moscato (that generally terrible and sweet excuse for a wine if purchased at a low price-point and is American made). While they come from the same grape - Muscat wines tend to have an almost musty quality with floral and crisp fruit on the palate. And most importantly, it is dry - so it is a great compliment to food.