Gochujang Eggplant Stir-Fry. (Photo by Peggy Cormary/The Washington Post)
It’s hard but rewarding work coming up with recipes to share every week for this column. The inspiration can come from a variety of places: trends I’ve seen on social media, cookbooks that I wish to highlight, scientific studies and new-to-me creations from my own brain. The latter usually begins with a single ingredient, often seasonal, and then I let my culinary intuition and flavour research go from there. May I present to the court exhibit 3,894: this gochujang eggplant stir-fry.
Though the combination of eggplant and gochujang is novel to my cooking, I am, of course, not the first person to put the two together. Other cooks have thought to include fresh peppers, soy sauce and sugar to balance the heat; call for gochugaru (Korean chile flakes) instead of gochujang along with soy sauce and fish sauce; or keep the eggplant in larger pieces to top with crispy scallions.
While obviously similar, each recipe is unique in its own right, whether having been inspired by dishes their authors grew up eating or, as in my case, simply based on ingredients that I think would go well together.
My recipe started with eggplant. As with just about everything in our global economy, you can of course get it year round - though you are typically relegated to the large, dark purple globe eggplants in most supermarkets. (You can also find long, slender Chinese and Japanese varieties at Asian grocery stores.)
But eggplants are at their peak in the summer, along with the season’s more beloved tomatoes, stone fruit and corn. At the farmers market during these months, you are likely to come across purple-and-white striped eggplants; small, round green varieties; and milky-white specimens in different sizes.
"Despite outward appearances, you won’t find much difference once you get to the flesh inside, so don’t be afraid to experiment with or substitute varieties,” recipes editor Becky Krystal wrote in her guide to eggplant.
With a star ingredient in mind, it was time to let my brain wander and figure out the flavour profile and preparation. The first thing that came to me - and perhaps to you, too - was eggplant parmesan or some sort of Italian flavour profile, but I’d already covered that front roughly a year ago with a recipe for Skillet Gnocchi With eggplant-Tomato Sauce. This time, I wanted to explore the flavours from a different part of the world.
My initial inclination was to call for one of the Asian varieties of eggplant, so let’s go there, I thought. One of my favourite ingredients is gochujang, because it’s a powerhouse of flavour packed into a single item. From there, the recipe practically wrote itself. Eggplant is a great canvas for letting other flavours shine, acting as a sponge that soaks up the savory, spicy Korean pepper paste. I know from previous experience that gochujang also pairs well with toasted sesame oil, while rice vinegar, garlic and ginger add extra pizzazz.
If you’re not a fan of eggplant, I could see these flavours working well with zucchini, cauliflower, firm or extra-firm tofu, chicken, or any number of ingredients to suit your tastes. Whichever path you decide to take, the result will be a low-lift dish that’s filling and full of flavour.
You can use any variety of eggplant in this recipe. (Photo by Peggy Cormary/The Washington Post)
Gochujang adds funky spice to this simple eggplant stir-fry flavoured with garlic and ginger. (Adjust the amount of the fermented soybean and chile paste depending on the brand and how much spice you enjoy.) Toasted sesame oil and rice vinegar add nutty depth and a touch of acidity to perk up the entire dish. Serve with steamed rice for a quick meal.
Servings: 2-3 (makes about 3 cups)
Total time: 20 minutes.
Substitutions: eggplant >> zucchini, cauliflower, firm or extra-firm tofu, boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, or pork. Gluten-free? >> Use gluten-free gochujang. Unseasoned rice vinegar >> apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
2 tablespoons minced or finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup water
2 to 4 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Cooked rice, for serving
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Directions
In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, heat the neutral oil until shimmering. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in spots and starting to turn translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring once or twice, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
Add the water, gochujang, to taste, sesame oil and vinegar, and stir until evenly combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to coat the eggplant, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Divide the eggplant among bowls with rice, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve hot.
Nutritional information per serving (1 cup), based on 3: 296 calories, 24 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 22 g carbohydrates, 249 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 8 g fiber, 12 g sugar.
This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.
From staff writer Aaron Hutcherson.
