A signature recipe for Korean-style eggplant – I've been making it for 10 years.
For those who love simple and quick recipes, I'd like to suggest making a spicy eggplant preserve for the winter. This is my own recipe, a very successful one, and requires no sterilization. I've been making Korean-style eggplant and carrots using it for 10 years now, and it always turns out delicious.
Eggplants can be served as a cold appetizer, complementing meat, chicken, fried or boiled potatoes, and during Lent, as an accompaniment to buckwheat or plain rice. They're also delicious with fresh bread, and they're especially good after a couple of hours in the refrigerator! Spicy, juicy, with a pleasantly tart flavor, Korean-style eggplants are a lifesaver in many situations when you need to quickly set the table or feed the family a hearty dinner.
Ingredients:
- eggplants – 2 kg;
- peeled garlic – 80 g;
- carrots – 500 g;
- Korean carrot seasoning – 30 g;
- water – 5 glasses or 2.5 liters;
- vinegar 9% concentration – 200 ml;
- vegetable oil – 200 ml;
- coarse table salt – 80 g.
How to prepare Korean-style eggplant and carrots for the winter
Cut off the ends and tails of the eggplants and rinse them under cold water. Cut them into rounds about 2 cm thick, without peeling them. Then stack the rounds in shallow piles and cut into quarters. Peel the carrots and grate them using a Korean carrot grater, but make the strips short for easier cooking and eating.
Place the eggplants and carrots in a saucepan. Pour in enough water to completely cover the vegetables (you may need more, in which case you'll need to increase the amount of salt and vinegar accordingly). Add salt.
Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook the eggplant and carrots for one to two minutes and then add the vinegar. Stir and continue to simmer for another 7-8 minutes.
Place the vegetables in a sieve, one at a time, to drain the liquid. Don't squeeze them to avoid damaging the shape of the vegetables.
Once the water has drained, begin frying the eggplant and carrots. Pour oil into the frying pan (it's easier to fry in two pans at once) and heat it up. Add the vegetables and fry over medium heat for two to three minutes, allowing the excess liquid to evaporate.
Add Korean carrot seasoning. Taste and, if needed, add more salt, pepper, or a little sugar for a more contrasting flavor.
Fry for five minutes. Using a fine grater, grate the garlic cloves directly into the pan with the eggplant. Heat for another minute until the garlic aroma intensifies.
Place the eggplants in sterilized jars and seal them tightly with lids. Wrap them in a blanket or warm throw for additional warmth for 24 hours. Then store them in a cool basement or pantry. Happy canning!
