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Tuesday 18 September 2012

Recipe - Steam Eggplant (Brinjal, Aubergine) With Chilli Paste

There are 3 varieties of eggplant, white, green and purple. Eggplant is prized for its beauty and unique taste and texture.It has a pleasant bitter taste and spongy texture.

Eggplant is rich in vitamins K, B3, B6 and C. It has lots of potassium, manganese, magnesium and molybdenum. Besides boosting the immune system and lowering bad cholesterol, eggplant is noted for a plant nutrient found on its skin called nasunin.

Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. In animal studies, nasunin has been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes. Cell membranes are almost entirely composed of lipids and are responsible for protecting the cell from free radicals, letting nutrients in and wastes out, and receiving instructions from messenger molecules that tell the cell which activities it should perform. In short, eggplant is good for brain health.

In this recipe, the eggplant is first cut into smaller strips and then steamed. A chilli paste is made separately and spooned as a topping.

Ingredients
2 small purple eggplants (about 300 grams), cut into one and half inch length.
Soak the cut eggplant in a bowl of water and add a teaspoon of salt.
The salt helps the eggplant to retain its purple colour when cooked.

Chilli paste ingredients
purple eggplant
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 cm of turmeric
2 cloves garlic, coarse chopped
1 tsp of shrimp paste
half tsp of salt
half tsp of sugar

Method:
Steam the eggplant on a serving plate on medium heat.
Steaming time is about 8 minutes.
Set aside.

For the paste:
Blend the chilli paste ingredients into a paste
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok or pan on medium till hot.
Toss in the paste and saute till fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Spoon the chilli paste over the eggplant and serve.

    

This 5 minute video shows how to stir fry eggplant. ( I fry the paste separately)




A 3 minute video on fried eggplant with cheese, salt and pepper.



This is Taiwanese style of cooking eggplant with spicy mince pork

 


A nice and simple way to steam eggplant.


 Some cute eggplants.















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