Cold Garlic Eggplant
Steamed eggplant torn and dressed with garlic and soy.
Ingredients
- 2 Eggplant
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
- 1 tbsp Chili oil
- 2 Scallions (optional)
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
Method
- Steam the eggplant until very soft, then cool and tear into strips.
- Mince the garlic and scallions and whisk with soy, vinegar, chili oil, and sesame oil.
- Toss the eggplant in the dressing.
- Serve cool.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Cold Garlic Eggplant
Cold garlic eggplant is a Chinese side that shows what steaming does for the vegetable that frying can't. Instead of soaking up oil in a hot pan, the eggplant is steamed until silky and collapsing, then cooled and torn into strips by hand so the ragged edges catch the dressing. This gives you an eggplant that's plush and almost custardy in texture, with none of the greasiness the vegetable is often accused of, and at very low calories for the volume it delivers.
The dressing does the flavoring: raw garlic and scallions whisked with light soy, malty Chinkiang vinegar, chili oil, and toasted sesame oil, a savory-sour-spicy profile that soaks deep into the porous flesh. Tossed and served cool, it makes a refreshing counterpoint on a hot day and a classic component of a spread of small cold dishes eaten before or alongside a bigger meal. It's naturally vegan, keeps well, and actually improves as it sits and the eggplant drinks in more of the dressing.
Cold Garlic Eggplant: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Cold Garlic Eggplant?
A serving has about 97 calories — 2.6g protein, 11.2g carbs, 4.8g fat, 4.2g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Cold Garlic Eggplant gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Light soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Cold Garlic Eggplant take to make?
About 20 minutes start to finish, but only around 7 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Cold Garlic Eggplant?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out scallions, toasted sesame oil — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Cold Garlic Eggplant make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.