Gochujang-Glazed Eggplant With Fried Scallions
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1pound Asian eggplant (about 3 large; preferably Korean, or Chinese or Japanese), halved lengthwise and cut into 4- to 5-inch segments
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 2tablespoons gochujang
- 1tablespoon soy sauce
- 2packed teaspoons dark brown sugar
- 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2garlic cloves, finely grated
- ½cup olive oil
- 4scallions, trimmed, cut into 3-inch segments, then very thinly sliced lengthwise, white and green parts separated
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
177 calories; 16 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 364 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Place the eggplant in a colander set inside a large bowl or the sink. Sprinkle with the salt, toss to combine and let sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
- Step 3
To a large nonstick skillet, add the olive oil and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat to medium and fry the scallions, stirring often, until crispy and evenly browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried scallions onto a paper towel.
- Step 4
Reserve a small handful of raw scallion greens for garnish, then fry the remaining scallion greens in the oil until crispy and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer fried scallion greens onto a paper towel.
- Step 5
Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully pour the hot scallion oil into a glass container or measuring cup.
- Step 6
After the 30 minutes of salting, dry the eggplant segments with a paper towel. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved scallion oil.
- Step 7
When the oil starts to shimmer and you see a wisp of smoke, add half the eggplant, cut sides down, and fry until browned and starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip once and cook another minute on the other side. Transfer to a plate, add 2 more tablespoons of scallion oil back to the pan, and repeat to fry the second batch of eggplants. (If you are lucky enough to have any scallion oil left, use it to fry eggs or to dress a salad.)
- Step 8
Finally, sauce the eggplants: Add the first batch of eggplants back to the pan alongside the second batch. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the reserved gochujang sauce over the eggplants. Toss until evenly coated and the gochujang starts to caramelize, about 1 minute.
- Step 9
Plate the eggplants on a large platter and garnish with the fried scallions and the reserved raw scallion greens. Serve immediately. (To store for later, transfer to a resealable container and keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. This dish tastes great cold, straight out of the fridge, or at room temperature.)
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Joanna
Brilliant recipe - the scallions are the star!!. I used a wok. You can do the scallions more simply by starting with the white parts and adding in the green as the whites just start to color. Putting a lid on the wok while cooking the eggplant makes sure they get nice and soft. We served with steamed Bok Choi with a white miso/lime dressing and white rice.
Kevin
"Sprinkle with the salt, toss to combine and let sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture." excess moisture moisture sture ure re e .
absolut_foodie
I have never salted the thin style eggplants and they have never been bitter. I skipped this step and the result was still delicious.
nyrkr
I was certain I had gojuchang in my fridge but someone (me) must have used it up without replacing it. I had already prepared the eggplant and scallions when I became aware of this tragic situation, so needed to improvise. I used a combination of miso and sambal olek in place of the gojuchang, and the results were spectacular. I can't wait to make it again as written.
Stef
I saw in the NYTCooking Instagram story that Eric Kim suggested zucchini as a substitute for eggplant, and I was super excited to try it that way. Very tasty! Will definitely be making it again.
Marian V.
This is delicious. The fried scallions are tricky. I used a wok and it did not take 3 minutes for them to crisp up. Watch the scallions carefully and take them out with a spoon as they crisp up.
Cook from Chapel Hill
I baked eggplant wedges @ 400 degrees to cut down on fat content and it worked really well for the recipe. One warning I have: the recipe says to caramelize the eggplants in the sauce. There is a very fine line between caramelizing and burning. A second too much will give a burnt bitter flavor!
Marcella
This was excellent exactly as written. (Except substituting grapeseed oil as I didn’t have light olive oil. In my opinion, any neutral oil with a high smoke point will work. Other than that, please, please just make it as written.) I made steamed rice and quick pickled cucumbers in rice vinegar and sugar to go with it and together, it was perfection. This dish definitely benefits from being paired with an acidic element. The scallion slicing took time but overall an easy weeknight meal.
Zabel
I would get gochujang paste- used for cooking. The sauce is for dipping, putting on top of bibimbap etc. (Sauce would be sweeter, more liquid, and less of a fermented flavor)
cameron
Loved this recipe! I ended up cooking the eggplants much longer than stated. Maybe it is a personal preference, but I like it when the eggplants almost fall apart. New favorite eggplant dish.
CaptainNY
This was awesome. Used globe eggplants 'cause that's what the store had, tasted great. Next time will cut into bite-size cubes (4" segments plated attractively, but a little hard to eat). Used an entire large bunch of scallions - highly recommend making more scallions than just 4! Served with rice and quick-pickled red cabbage.
lolasmama
The sauce was amazing. I love, love, love the eggplant, it melts in your mouth. But I would eat that sauce on cardboard.
Peter Marx
Wow. Made this exactly as written and it was just outstanding! Whole Foods didn't have Asian eggplants so I used regular baby ones and it was fantastic. Served it over toasted brown jasmine rice. Amazing!
Amy D.
Mixed a little miso into the gochujang and soy sauce for some extra funk. Subbed out shallot oil for the scallion oil and it was delicious! No sugar needed.
Christopher
Made this as written tonight. I followed recommendation of another reviewer and used gochuchang paste rather than sauce. I added just 2T of water before cooking to thin the glaze a bit. My wife loved it! Could definitely find other ways to use the sauce.
Peter Stock
what the heck is "gochujang"? I am sure my local Asian markets have it but the problem is most of their staff do not speak English and so it is nearly impossible for me to ask if they carry "gochujang" or to ID it on the shelf.
jmack
I was about to pass by this recipe until I watched Eric Kim's video. I am smitten. I will cook in a wok as one commenter suggested. BTW, the frizzled scallions trick works with leek greens, too.
Lisa C
This is one of the best dishes I’ve ever made. It’s so satisfying on different levels. My husband, who doesn’t like eggplant, loves this dish. I made it for some chef friends and they also loved it. Two tips: don’t make your pieces too large. They’ll take longer to cook. Bite size is best and be sure every piece is nice and soft. The first couple of inches at the stem end can be tough and stay somewhat hard do trim well. Thanks Eric.
David
Can you use gochujang powder instead of paste? I have some in my pantry
AMReing
I substituted for gochujang: 1 Tbs miso paste, 1 Tbs Siracha sauce and 1 tsp sugar. This dish was delicious with white rice. Next time I’ll remember to add some tofu to complete the meal.
A Fan
Lives up to all the raves. Wow! I didn't bother with salting and draining the eggplant (Japanese) and I found no negative effects on flavor or texture. I can't wait to make this again. This is 4 servings at most, maybe more like 3. Definitely not 6 unless everyone eats like a bird.
Natalie B.
Amazing recipe and video thank you for this!! I only had one Japanese eggplant, so I supplemented with an onion and firm tofu in the Gojuchang sauce. I then put it in a bowl over coconut rice and cabbage cooked in soy sauce, oil, and lime juice. One of the yummiest, easiest, quick pantry meals I’ve ever made! Almost felt restaurant-esque.
Debby
Just made this for the third time. Always delicious. I like the scallions a little less than browned.
Edna
Made this tonight with Asian eggplant from my garden and it was delicious! The only comment I have is that green onions took only about four minutes. I’ll make again.
Eskirmish
Double the sauce
Michelle B
I accidentally bought chives instead of scallions and was so pleased with myself when they so easily fried into little crunchy bits. Then I ate them... the bitter aftertaste was awful! Lesson learned! Recipe was still lovely without the scallions but I look forward to trying again!
sarah
This was delicious! Made it with rice and it was gone. Going to try it with some zucchini added in next time as it’s in season.
Theresa
Excellent dish. Made it according to the recipe. My husband raved about it. ( Not always the case.) Scallions were somewhat limp, but that might be my fault. If you’ve never used gouchujang sauce, try it. I never even heard of it. But I can see many used for it, on meat and vegetables alike.
karen
Be careful. I wasn’t able to find Asian eggplant and used Italian. What was I thinking!!! The skin was tough but my husband just removed the skin and loved it. Sooooo good!!!!
Vickie C.
Made this exactly as written (after watching Mr. Kim's charming and informative video) and it was fabulous; all the flavor of the spicy eggplant dish from our favorite Chinese spot, but not as oily--and the scallions make it! Steamed some store-bought shrimp dumplings and used a little scallion oil in the dipping sauce for those (along with soy and hot mustard)--delicious! Thank you for another great recipe. Can't wait to make it again!
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