
Cabbage Rolls or Stuffed Peppers
Stuffing cabbage or bell peppers is ancient crafting that does not miss Continue reading Cabbage Rolls or Stuffed Peppers
Stuffing cabbage or bell peppers is ancient crafting that does not miss Continue reading Cabbage Rolls or Stuffed Peppers
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Crispy exterior, fluffy interior…opposites are attractive Continue reading British Bakers
As a curious cook and unrequited lover of eggplant, I search for ways to master this textural oddity. Most efforts provided a suitable dish, but I never truly like the mushy texture most recipes yield. Other than eggplant parmesan, I have been underwhelmed until I came across this thousands-year-old Chinese method. It goes against reason, but braising for 30 minutes, eggplant becomes silken and flavored by the marinade, which then gets cooked down into a sauce. I have succeeded with other marinades and am happy to share these two beauties.
Choose Asian eggplants, they provide the best shape and are almost seedless.
The key to success is slice them to provide the most skin per slice [see below]. Then, once in the pan, do not move them through the whole braising time, as they are easily bruised.
The result is a saucy velvety dish served over rice or noodles
L: Served over Pad Thai Noodles R: Served over Wheat Noodles with Bratwurst and Gomasio
INGREDIENTS: Chili bean paste* is a Chinese spicy paste that can be substituted with hot sauce, harissa, gochujang, or other spicy condiment, as this dish is balanced for some heat.
INSTRUCTIONS:
ADDITION: Meat or cooked beans can make this a main course
To expand this into a meaty dish, sauté 8 oz. of ground pork, beef, or poultry at step 5, then remove the meat to be added back at step 8