**Cold Eggplant Salad with Sesame Dressing: A Culinary Symphony of Flavors and Textures**
Embark on a delightful culinary journey with our Cold Eggplant Salad with Sesame Dressing, a symphony of flavors and textures that will tantalize your taste buds. This refreshing salad showcases the versatility of eggplant, transforming it into a culinary masterpiece. Grilled to perfection, the eggplant retains a smoky aroma while maintaining its tender and juicy interior. Paired with a medley of crisp vegetables, including cucumber, bell peppers, and carrots, each bite offers a symphony of textures. The crowning glory of this salad is the delectable sesame dressing, a harmonious blend of nutty sesame paste, tangy rice vinegar, and a hint of sweetness from honey. This flavorful dressing not only complements the grilled eggplant but also elevates the entire salad, creating a harmonious balance of flavors.
COLD STEAMED EGGPLANT WITH SESAME SOY DRESSING
Steamed eggplant has a delicate, silky texture. You may have tasted similar light, refreshing eggplant dishes in Asian restaurants. Dress the eggplant while it's still hot; it will drink up the sauce so that flavor runs through and through. Then refrigerate and serve the salad cold.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Time 1h30m
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, sesame or walnut oil, and canola oil. Add the optional ginger and/or garlic. Set aside.
- If you can find Japanese eggplant, cut them in half lengthwise. If using large globe eggplants, cut them lengthwise into quarters. Place in a steamer and steam 10 to 15 minutes, until thoroughly tender. Remove from the heat and cut in 3/4-inch wide slices. Season with salt. Toss gently with the dressing (it's okay if the eggplant falls apart a little) and half the chives while warm, and chill for 1 hour. Toss again and serve on a bed of baby arugula. Sprinkle the remaining chives over the top.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 126, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 405 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams
COLD EGGPLANT SALAD WITH SESAME DRESSING
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories easy, salads and dressings, side dish
Time 20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Trim eggplant, and cut into cubes of 1/2 to 1 inch. If using large eggplant, sprinkle with salt, put in a colander, and let sit at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. Rinse.
- Boil large pot of water. Blanch eggplant in boiling water 2 minutes, no more. It will become just tender. Drain in colander as you would pasta.
- Toast sesame seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently until they color slightly. Dry eggplant with paper towels. Combine remaining ingredients, and toss with eggplant and sesame seeds in bowl. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Covered well, the salad will remain flavorful for a day.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 192, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 42 grams, Fat 2 grams, Fiber 21 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 1634 milligrams, Sugar 25 grams
WARM EGGPLANT SALAD WITH SESAME AND SHALLOTS
This looked interesting, and I am posting here for safekeeping. Will update description when I try it. Good thing about it is that it offers substitutes for hard-to-find Asian ingredients. A recipe by Haryumi Kurihara, the "empress of Japanese domesticity" based on an article I cut out of the NY Times.
Provided by Kumquat the Cats fr
Categories Vegetable
Time 20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cut off stems of eggplant and cut in half lengthwise. Soak in cold water 5 minutes, drain and pat dry. Arrange on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap and cook until softened and tender (3-6 minutes). Let stand a few minutes to finish cooking. Or steam eggplant 5-7 minutes or until limp and tender.
- In a bowl combine sugar, soy sauce, sake (or sherry), vinegar, sesame seeds and sesame paste (or peanut butter).
- Cut (skinned if desired) eggplant into strips about 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. A handful at a time, wrap strips in paper towels and squeeze to get rid of extra water. Mound on serving plate.
- Drizzle sauce over eggplant, and scatter myoga (or shallots) and shiso (or herbs) on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- For Vegan if using Sake make sure the Sake is Vegan friendly.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 98.3, Fat 2.5, SaturatedFat 0.3, Sodium 255.5, Carbohydrate 17.5, Fiber 4.4, Sugar 10.6, Protein 2.7
Tips:
- For the best flavor, use fresh, ripe eggplants. Avoid eggplants that are bruised or have blemishes.
- Salting the eggplant slices before cooking helps to remove their bitterness. Be sure to rinse them thoroughly before cooking to remove the excess salt.
- Cooking the eggplant slices in a single layer ensures that they cook evenly. Overcrowding the pan will cause the eggplant to steam instead of fry, resulting in a soggy texture.
- To make the sesame dressing, use toasted sesame seeds for the best flavor. You can toast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat until they are fragrant and golden brown.
- If you don't have rice vinegar, you can use another type of vinegar, such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. However, rice vinegar has a milder flavor that is best suited for this salad.
- To make the salad more flavorful, add some chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, or mint.
Conclusion:
Cold eggplant salad with sesame dressing is a delicious and refreshing dish that is perfect for a summer meal. It is easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time, making it a great option for busy weeknights. The combination of flavors and textures in this salad is sure to please everyone at your table.
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