Ten Minutes to Sautéed Eggplant(Gaji Namool)

▲Sauteed Eggplant (Gaji Namool)

For those that are in love with Korean food but believe it is not accessible, Cecilia Hae-jin lee demystifies that myth with “Quick & Easy Korean Cooking”. Through the recipes and step by step by guide found in this cookbook, you will find that Korean food is not only accessible but easy to make! The preparation time of all the dishes from “Quick & Easy Korean Cooking” is promised to take 30 minutes or less. Cecilia Hae-jin lee has timed each dish herself, and even if all those dishes had met the 30 minute time mark, she would challenge it to try to make it better and faster. After all, the concept of of this cookbook is for these meals to be made at home on a week night.

Cecilia Hae-Jin lee encourages everyone to try her way of cooking Korean food. “This is just a blueprint; It’s a foundation. People can change it a little to better fit their taste preference.”

The sautéed eggplant (Gaji Namool) is traditionally a summer side dish that Koreans pair with their rice. It is said that outdoor markets in Seoul are filled with beautiful purple eggplants when they are in season in late summer. These side dishes are perfect to be made in abundance so that it can be shared with neighbors and family members. Also they can be refrigerated so that it would a great source for Vitamin C during the chilly Fall season. “The traditional way to make this banchan (side dish) is to boil the eggplants first and then shred or cut them, but I’ve found a method that is much simpler. If you don’t like spicy food, you may omit the chile powder, but compared to some other Korean dishes, the heat is barely noticeable,” said Cecilia Hae-Jin lee (author of “Quick & Easy Korean Cooking”).

Ingredients:
*Makes 5 or 6 servings
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips, 2 to 3 inches long
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Korean chile powder
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, crushed

Step By Step Instructions:
1) Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat.
2) Add the garlic and eggplants and stir-fry until the eggplants are limp and start to brown (About 6 to 8 minutes).
3) Add the sesame oil, green onion, soy sauce, and chile powder and stir-fry for another minute or so.
4) Remove from the heat.
5) Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve either warm or at room temperature