Fried egg plant

Eggplant is a versatile vegetable. It is available year round and can be found in most grocery stores and ethnic supermarkets. The best tasting eggplants are when they are in season from mid to late summer. I live in Los Angeles, California USDA zone 9B, my eggplants grow like a perennial giving me abundance of fruit year round. Do not prolong the storage of your store bought eggplants. While it appears to look glossy and plump stored in your refrigerator,lengthly storage diminishes the flavor and nutrient content and enhances the bitterness. When the water content evaporates, the bitterness concentrate. To subdue the bitterness, the need to steep the cut eggplant in salted water is necessary.  For this dish, you can use the globe or black beauty eggplant by slicing crosswise in rounds. Other eggplant fruit variety can also be used such as the Chinese,Thai and Japanese long eggplants. When frying eggplant make sure you have adequate oil, about 11/2-2” inch deep.  Use high heat, about 400 deg F to fry. Do not overlap. Cook until golden brown, then turn over. When both sides are done, remove from oil and drain in paper towel. Do not drop raw eggplant into the hot oil, as the hot oil will spatter and can burn your skin. If you are going to fry the eggplants in less oil, the fried egg plant will be sodden.

Serve hot. Feel free to use any sauce you want. Remoulade sauce or catsup, soysauce with vinegar or whatever suits you. I use vinegar with minced garlic and soysauce for a dipping sauce.

Ingredients

4 large eggplant (Chinese and globe variety see pic). Wash eggplant. For the Chinese variety, Hold the stem, slice lengthwise, from the cut , continue to slice lengthwise. Cut lengthwise, into strips the size of regular French fries. Drain and pat dry . For the globe variety, slice in rounds as in picture.
Salt for soaking (assuming that your eggplant is store bought, if fresh pick ,omit this step)
Oil for frying (see my note for quantity needed)
1 C AP flour
2 tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1 tbsp granulated garlic
2 tbsp oyster sauce+2tsp sesame oil (mix to blend)

Put a deep frying pan in the stove. Turn on heat to high ( about 350-400 deg F)When pot is hot, pour vegetable oil to 1 1/2 “-2 “deep.
Drain and pat dry eggplant. Combine flour,salt,pepper ,granulated garlic in a small bowl. Mix well to blend.

Brush the eggplant surfaces with the sesame and oyster sauce blend.
Dredge the eggplant in the flour mixture, make sure all surface is covered with the blend.
Slip in the sliced eggplant in the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Turn eggplant around to make sure all the eggplants surface had been cooked. When eggplants are cooked, remove from oil and drain in paper towel. Repeat until all the eggplants are fried.Do not overcook as the taste will be bitter.
Serve with your choice of sauce. Try with remoulade.
Enjoy!

Serves