1/4 cup tamari
2 tbsp loosely packed cilantro (coriander, or chinese
1 parsley) leaves
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 med. cloves garlic, smashed and pee, led
3/8 oz peeled fresh ginger (1 by 1/4 piece, cut
1 crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
4 medium sized (2 oz. each) chinese eggplant, s *
Directions
* (here they call them Japanese - the small skinny light purple or
lavender ones)
Combine all ingredients EXCEPT EGGPLANT in a blender or processor.
Process until smooth. Prick th eggplants several times with a fork
and pull off the leaves. Cut in half lengthwise. On the open side of
each half make three deep diagonal slashes in each direction. Place
eggplants skin side down in a 13x9x2 oval dish.
Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of the marinade over each eggplant half. Rub
into flesh so that it runs into the cuts. Turn eggplants skin side
up. Pour remaining marinade into the dish. Let stand 45 minutes.
Turn eggplants skin side down. Cover tightly with microwave plastic
wrap. Cook at high power for 10 minutes. Prick plastic to release
steam. Remove, uncover, spoon sauce over eggplants. Serve as side
dish. Recommended with grilled fish steak or chicken breast (of
course I'd baste that with a soy based marinade).
I may try this over a wok steamer rather than in the microwave.
WHICH REMINDS ME: Stephen, I love a dish which I have seen referred
to as Yu Shaing Eggplant. Based on a Yu Shaing sauce. Which is, to
some extent, translated as fish sauce (I know the yu or ju is fish)
not made from it but to go with it, I gather. It is certainly not
nuoc mam but I don't know if it contains it. It is rather hot and by
flavor I would guess it comes from the northern provinces - perhaps
NE end of China. I have also had it with fresh pork strings.
Glorious. Do you have any idea what it is or a recipe??? I have been
unable to find it anywhere in my Chinese library. The restaurant
where I eat it is not one to give recipes or ingredients to
non-Chinese (if they'd give it to the Chinese. The place is popular
with the newer Chinese community here. (The old timers are all
Cantonese and so well integrated that they probably consider red
beans and rice their dish).
Servings: 6 servings
Asian Marinated Eggplant Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Eggplant; Vegetable
The History of Recipes
It is quite feasible to prove the history of recipes far back into antiquity, in truth as far back as the Egyptians, and maybe even further. Interesting though that is, mostly, these ancient recipes were just very basic hieroglyphic or cunieform instructions for meal preparation.
Interestingly, the most ancient recipe discovered so far, according to food historians are a few stone tablets in the Sumerian language describing the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making anyone who tried it feel exhilarated. During Roman times 25BC a roman called Apicius wrote some scripts which described recipes cooked by his fellow Romans. In his works, he recounts how the meals were separated into hors d`oeuvre, main meal and afters, something that is very familiar to us today. Aspicius informs us how the ancient Romans used a wide range of spices, including some familiar names like basil, mint and parsley. Closer to modern times, we find two books from the 1300s - a book published under the title `Forme of Cury`, and another called `Curye on Inglish`. The titles are somewhat misleading tho`, these have no connection with the spicy food that appears on menues today, but instead accounts of the types of food on the tables of the upper classes of the time. Later, in the 15th century, people returning from the crusades brought back many new foods, spices and herbs from Arab cuisine, including spices such as coriander, parsley, and basil. These new foods and tastes prompted an explosion in cookery books, some of which are kept safe in private cookery archives. During the succeeding few centuries, the powerful and wealthy houses tried to offer the best banquets, and because of this chefs and their recipes could command a high salary. However, it wasn`t until the 19th century the formal cooking and recipe publications became popular. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Farmer in the USA, dedicated their lives to assembling, testing, and writing down recipes that were common in the better off homes of the day. By the time we get to the twentieth century, cook books are starting to become popular due to higher levels of literacy, leisure time and having more money to spend. |
We hope you enjoy this Asian Marinated Eggplant recipe.
