Description
Vietnamese Grilled Eggplant with Scallion Oil is a quick and flavorful appetizer featuring tender, charred eggplants topped with a fragrant scallion oil infused with soy sauce and a hint of sweetness. This simple yet aromatic dish is perfect for a light meal or as a side dish, showcasing the smoky richness of grilled eggplant combined with savory scallion oil.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplants
- 2 medium Japanese or Chinese eggplants
- Vegetable oil, for brushing
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Scallion Oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (green onions)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic or fried shallots for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the grill or broiler: Set your grill or broiler to high heat to ensure a hot cooking environment for charring the eggplants evenly.
- Prepare the eggplants: Prick the eggplants a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking and brush them lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking and enhance charring.
- Grill the eggplants: Place the eggplants directly over the grill flames or on a baking sheet under the broiler.
- Cook until charred and soft: Grill for 10–12 minutes, turning the eggplants occasionally so the skin chars evenly and the flesh becomes soft and collapsed.
- Cool and prepare the flesh: Remove the eggplants from heat and let them cool slightly. Peel off most of the charred skin, leaving some for texture, then flatten the flesh gently with a fork.
- Make the scallion oil: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Infuse the oil with scallions and seasonings: Turn off the heat and stir in the thinly sliced scallions, soy sauce, sugar, and optional garlic. Let everything sizzle and soften in the residual heat to release flavors.
- Dress the eggplants: Spoon the scallion oil generously over the prepared grilled eggplants, ensuring rich coverage.
- Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally topping with fried shallots for added crunch and flavor.
Notes
- Use Japanese or Chinese eggplants for their tender texture and thin skin, which chars nicely.
- Turning the eggplants regularly ensures even charring and prevents burning.
- Leaving some charred skin adds a wonderful smoky flavor and rustic texture.
- The residual heat method to cook scallions prevents burning and keeps them tender.
- Optional fried shallots add a crunchy garnish and extra umami.
- This dish pairs well with steamed rice or as part of a Vietnamese-inspired meal.
