Roasted Eggplant with Sesame & Green Onion
Slowly roasted eggplant wedges seasoned with a vibrant mixture of sesame oil, ponzu, aromatics, and fresh herbs.
25
Prep (min)
40
Cook (min)
65
Total (min)
Servings
Lime wedges for garnish were excluded from calculations
Assumed standard small eggplant weight of approximately 150g each
Assumed honey for sweetener calculation
Ingredients
- 3 piece small eggplants, trimmed and cut into 6 wedges each
- 2 tbsp peanut or other neutral oil
- 1.5 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 green onions, white parts sliced into rings, green parts cut into matchsticks
- 2-3 cm piece of ginger root, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 clove garlic, sliced
- 1 piece red or green chili pepper, cut into thin rings
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp ponzu sauce
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- small handful of Thai basil leaves
- to taste lime wedges, for squeezing over
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C). Toss the eggplant wedges with 1.5 tbsp of the peanut oil and spread them in a single layer in a roasting pan that has been well greased with oil. Season the pieces with salt and pepper, and roast for 40 minutes or until they are golden brown and very soft, but still hold their shape.
- 2
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Shake the pan frequently until the seeds are evenly light golden brown.
- 3
Pour the remaining 0.5 tbsp of peanut oil into the skillet and add the white green onion rings, ginger, garlic, and chili pepper. Place the pan over medium heat and stir-fry the aromatics as soon as they start to sizzle for 6 minutes until they are just golden brown and slightly crisp. Transfer them to a bowl.
- 4
Mix the sesame oil, ponzu, honey or syrup, soy sauce, and lime juice. Spoon this over the eggplants and also top with the fried aromatics, the green onion matchsticks, the toasted sesame seeds, and the Thai basil leaves. Serve with extra lime wedges to squeeze over.
Recipe by Jille van der Togt