Dishes of braised dishes with eggplant are always loved in family meals thanks to their delicious taste and ability to complement rice. Therefore, today TasteVN will join you in cooking two ways to make savory soy sauce braised eggplant and tofu braised eggplant to treat your family!
1. Soy sauce braised eggplant
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Soy sauce braised eggplant Serves 4
Eggplant 1 piece (about 300g) Green onions 2 stalks Basil 5 leaves Chili 1 piece Soy sauce 2 tablespoons (soy sauce) Cooking oil 3 tablespoons Common seasonings a little (Salt/ sugar/ seasoning powder/ monosodium glutamate/ pepper)
Ingredient image
How to cook Eggplant braised with soy sauce
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the eggplant, cut off the stem end, and slice the eggplant into diagonal pieces about 1/2 finger thick.
Next, soak the sliced eggplant in a bowl of diluted saltwater for about 3 minutes, then remove and let it drain.
Trim the green onions, discarding the old roots, and chop them finely. Wash the chili and slice it.
Pick the basil leaves, discarding any wilted ones, wash them, and let them drain.
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Fry the eggplant
Place a pan on the stove over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and wait for the oil to heat up. Add the eggplant and fry for about 3 – 4 minutes until both sides are lightly golden, then remove and let it drain.
Note:
- When frying the eggplant, do not overcook it; otherwise, it will become soggy and soft.
- Flip the eggplant evenly to prevent it from burning and to make it look more attractive.
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Braised Eggplant
Place a pan on the stove over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, when the oil is hot, add the green onion and sauté until fragrant, then add the eggplant and stir gently.
Season with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/4 tablespoon of monosodium glutamate.
Stir gently and adjust to low heat, braise for another 7 – 9 minutes until the sauce thickens, taste and adjust the seasoning, add basil, a few slices of chili, a little pepper, and turn off the heat.
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Final Product
The braised eggplant with soy sauce has an attractive aroma, the eggplant is soft, infused with flavors that are both sweet and rich, making it very suitable for light vegetarian meals or family gatherings.
Show off your cooking skills to treat the whole family!
2. Braised Eggplant with Tofu
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Preparation
10 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Braised Eggplant with Tofu Serves 4
Eggplant 3 pieces (about 700g) Red apple 100 g Tofu 5 pieces (tofu) Vegetarian sausage 100 g (1 stick) Green onions 2 stalks Cilantro 5 stalks Kumquat 4 pieces (kumquat) Garlic 4 cloves Dried cinnamon 1 stick Star anise 1 piece Cornstarch 2 tablespoons Corn syrup 2 tablespoons (or 1/4 tablespoon sugar) Vegetarian oyster sauce 2 tablespoons Chili sauce 1 tablespoon Soy sauce 2 tablespoons (dark soy sauce) Vegetarian fish sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 100 ml Common seasoning a little (Salt/ sugar/ monosodium glutamate/ pepper)
How to choose fresh and delicious tofu
- You can buy pre-fried yellow tofu or buy white tofu to fry yourself to ensure the quality of the dish.
- Good tofu without gypsum will have an off-white color, feel light to the touch, and have a smooth surface with a faint, delicious soybean smell.
- Avoid buying pieces of tofu that are yellowing, feel heavy, and have a faint smell of lime, as these pieces may contain added gypsum, which can be very harmful to your health if consumed.
- To ensure safety, you should buy tofu from reputable tofu production stores or you can try making tofu at home with simple steps guided by TasteVN.
How to prepare Eggplant braised with tofu
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Prepare the eggplant
Wash the eggplant thoroughly, cut off the stem, and slice the eggplant diagonally into pieces about 1/2 finger thick.
Next, put the sliced eggplant into a bowl of diluted saltwater, squeeze the juice of 4 calamondin oranges into it, soak for about 3 minutes, then remove and let drain.
Add the eggplant to the bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and toss to coat the eggplant evenly with the flour.
Tip: If you don’t have calamondin, you can substitute it with lemon or vinegar as well.
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Prepare other ingredients
Green onions and cilantro, remove the old roots, wash clean, and cut into pieces about 2 finger lengths.
Red apples wash clean and drain. Garlic, peel and chop finely. Tofu, rinse briefly with water, then cut into bite-sized pieces about 1 finger length.
Veggie sausage, cut into thick round slices about 1/2 finger length.
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Fry the eggplant
Place a pan on the stove over medium heat, add 100ml of cooking oil, wait for the oil to heat up, then add the eggplant and fry for about 3 – 4 minutes until lightly golden on both sides, then remove and let drain.
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Braised Eggplant
Use the same pan used for frying eggplant, leaving about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, turn on medium heat and sauté minced garlic until fragrant.
Add 1 tablespoon of vegetarian fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vegetarian oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 stick of dried cinnamon, and 1 star anise to the pan.
Add tofu, red apple, and vegetarian sausage, stir gently and add 100ml of water.
Braise for another 5 – 7 minutes until the sauce thickens, add 2 tablespoons of corn syrup, add the eggplant and stir well, and season to taste.
Add chopped green onions and cilantro, and turn off the heat.
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Final Product
The braised eggplant with tofu has a rich flavor from the eggplant and tofu, with the fragrant aroma of cinnamon and star anise, and a savory sauce. You can enjoy this dish with rice or noodles as well.
How to choose fresh and delicious eggplants
- You should buy eggplants that have shiny and evenly colored skin, with the stem still fresh and tightly attached to the body.
- When held, they should feel firm and heavy, and pressing on them should feel hard.
- You should avoid buying eggplants with wrinkled skin or that feel soft when pressed, as these are old eggplants.
- You should also avoid buying eggplants that have uneven colors or black spots on the skin, as they will not have the natural sweetness when eaten.
How to prepare eggplants without browning
After cutting the eggplant pieces, place them in a bowl of diluted salt water and soak for 15 minutes. This will help the eggplants retain their crispness, release all the sap, and prevent browning.
Recently, there were 2 ways to make braised eggplant with soy sauce and braised tofu that are extremely delicious and fragrant to make the family meal more flavorful. TasteVN wishes you success when cooking this dish!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel Kim anh Lê and Delicious Dishes Every Day
