Chile Pepper
Chilled Eggplant Salad
- Prep time 20 minutes
- Cook time 20 minutes
- Serves 2
Author Notes
The following dish is a demonstration of a magic ratio I’ve found for Chinese salad dressings. Driven by the quest to devise a Chinese counterpart to the classic Western 3:1 oil-to-vinegar ratio found in salad dressings, I tested and poured through as many Chinese cold dishes as I could. After thorough exploration, I arrived at the ratio of 3:3:1:1: corresponding to soy sauce, aromatic oil, vinegar, and sugar. Of course, this is by no means a universally accepted axiom in all Chinese cookery, but it offers a useful blueprint for creating dressings that are harmonious and versatile. It's also a perfect base for culinary creativity, such as the introduction of chili oil into the vinaigrette in this recipe.
Chilled eggplants are one of my favorite chilled dishes, liangcai 涼菜, as they present a delightful sweetness and easy texture that marries beautifully with a diverse range of other dishes. As cold dishes go, this one is quite straightforward. A little zing from chili oil, minced garlic for depth, and scallion greens for a touch of green vibrancy.
When selecting eggplants for this salad, opt for the slender, elongated Chinese variety. Seek out those with a firm feel, a deep, rich purple exterior, and an immaculately white interior. Chinese eggplants generally contain fewer seeds compared to their globe counterparts, lending a sweeter taste. They also hold their shape better when cooked, offering a pleasingly stringy texture. To ensure the preservation of their purple hue, the eggplants are given a brief soak in white vinegar resulting in a more vibrant appearance. —Lucas Sin
Ingredients
- For the seasoning oil:
-
1 teaspoon
whole Sichuan peppercorns, reddish husks only and stems and black seeds discarded
-
1
dried chile, such as tianjin, stemmed
-
1
dried bay leaf
-
1/2
star anise pod
-
1/2 cup
(225 grams) neutral-flavored oil, such as peanut, canola, soybean, or vegetable
-
1
scallion, ends trimmed cut into 1-inch segments
-
1
small shallot, thinly sliced
-
1
(1/2-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly into coins
-
4
garlic cloves, smashed
- For the eggplant:
-
2
small Chinese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch length batons (see note)
-
2 tablespoons
distilled white vinegar
-
3 tablespoons
Chinese light soy sauce
-
1 1/2 tablespoons
seasoning oil (see above)
-
1 1/2 tablespoons
chili crisp, such as Fly By Jing
-
1 tablespoon
Chinese Zhenjiang (black) vinegar
-
1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
-
3
garlic cloves, minced
-
1
scallion, thinly sliced on a bias
Directions
- For the seasoning oil:
- In a small bowl, cover Sichuan peppercorns, dried chile, bay leaf, and star anise pod with cold water and soak for 5 minutes. Drain well.
- In a small pot, combine oil, drained spices, scallion, shallot, ginger, and garlic. Set over low heat and cook until the scallions and garlic are gently frying and have turned an amber brown color, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, strain into a heatproof container, and let cool; discard the solids.
- For the eggplant:
- In a medium bowl, combine the white vinegar with 2 cups cold water. Add eggplant and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain well.
- Set up a steamer and bring to full-steam over high heat. Add eggplant, cover, and cook until tender and transparent throughout but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, place drained eggplant in a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and cook until tender. throughout but not mushy, about 7 minutes at high power. Lay out the cooked eggplant on a plate or tray and let cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, seasoning oil, chili oil, black vinegar, sugar, and minced garlic until sugar is dissolved.
- Serve the eggplants in a shallow bowl or a plate, covering them with the dressing, 1 tablespoon at a time, until eggplant is sufficiently dressed, at least 4 tablespoons. Serve chilled.
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