Some sticky icky eggplant in my chopsticks, to go alongside my platter of sushi, because why not have both?
I saw a similar recipe to this on Instagram a few weeks ago and obviously had to make my own version. I’ve been well stocked on eggplant all summer thanks to the Old Capitol Farmer’s Market in my town and all the wonderful farmers who bring their produce out.
How many other things in your life do you limit to one or the other, when instead, you could just have both? Like sushi and eggplant. Both of my favorite things. But I never enjoy them together!
The eggplant is simply cooked in a large cast iron skillet with some oil and water until its fully steamed and a bit charred. Then it’s topped with sauce and cilantro and sesame seeds and it’s ready for consumption. I like to serve this with rice or rice noodles, or simply by itself. Let me know if you give it a try!
Sauce Ingredients:
*1 tbsp minced ginger
*2 cloves minced garlic
*2 tbsp soy sauce
*2 tbsp maple syrup
*1 tbsp no stir peanut butter
*1 tsp Szechuan crisp
*1 tbsp dark soy sauce
*1 tbsp rice vinegar
*1 large Italian eggplant or 3 medium Asian eggplants, cut into 2 inch long rectangles
Directions:
- Heat up a cast iron or nonstick skillet over high heat. Pour 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in pan and place sliced eggplant in and cover. When one side is slightly charred, flip to other side until eggplant is charred on all sides. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and cover to steam and finish cooking.
- Stir all of the ingredients together until smooth, then pour over the cooked eggplant. Top with cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds.
- Serve with a nice IPA to cut through the thickness of the peanut butter.
Avocados and Ales 
This looks delicious — but what is Szechuan crisp? I am not familiar with this ingredient.
It’s like chili paste but cooked, I use Fly by Jing but there are other brands and trader Joe’s has a similar product