Ga ji namul (marinated eggplant)

slicing eggplant

steaming eggplant, skin down

checking to see if it's ready

tearing it into strips

Ingredients:

-        4 chinese eggplants (long and purple), ends cut off, halve crosswise, halve lengthwise

-        2 T soy sauce

-        1 T white vinegar

-        2 t sesame oil

-        1 t sugar

-        1 t sesame seeds

-        ½ t ground Korean red chili pepper (go chu karu)

-        2 cloves minced garlic

-        1 scallion, chopped

Steps:

1.     Put water in a pot with a steamer setup.

2.     Add the eggplant and steam for 8 minutes or until a chopstick will pierce the flesh.

3.     Transfer to a bowl and let sit until it is cool enough to handle.

4.     Make marinade by mixing the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl: sesame seeds, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, gochu karu, sugar, garlic, scallions.  Taste and adjust to your liking.

5.     Tear egg plants into long thin strips.

6.     Add marinade and mix well.  (Only marinate what you can eat as the vinegar will ferment the eggplant by the next day.  You can save extra eggplant in the refrigerator.)  

7.     Taste again and adjust to your liking.

Serve it up!