With all the warm weather we have been having this Fall, we are still able to grill outdoors, and we love it! Well, truth be told, we have been known to grill on freezing cold winter days too! All we need is a shoveled path from the door to the grill through the snow, and we’re good to go. (Not sure the hubby feels the same way though, haha)! But for now, let’s continue to enjoy sunny Fall days and this recipe for Asian Inspired Grilled Eggplant. A simple Asian-flavored marinade makes these healthy sweet grilled eggplant slices a favorite!
Asian Inspired Grilled Eggplant is a recipe where the only work that is required is to slice, season, grill and serve! There’s nothing complicated about this recipe! You’ll enjoy a slightly charred and smoky flavor from the grill plus a light caramelized sweet taste from the marinade. The combination of smoky and sweet is an absolute winner.
Asian Inspired Grilled Eggplant- Easy Steps!
The first step is preparing the eggplants. Despite what you might have heard, it’s a very simple process–nothing intimidating about it. Peeling the eggplant is not needed, as the skin helps the eggplant keep its shape during the grilling process. Slice the eggplant into thin slices, about ½ inch thick. Once the eggplant is sliced, it’s time to draw out any bitterness by salting each side and allowing the slices to drain in a colander for 30 minutes. No one wants to eat bitter veggies!! After draining, the eggplant is ready to be rinsed and patted dry. And voilá, that’s it! Just as simple as we promised!
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While waiting for the eggplant slices to drain, it’s time to make the marinade, another nice and easy step. Add all ingredients for the marinade into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and continue to cook until the sauce becomes slightly thick. You’ll know when the sauce is ready by testing it with a spoon. Stir the sauce with a spoon, remove the spoon and trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line remains visible, the sauce is thickened, if not the sauce will need to be cooked longer. Not too difficult, right?
Let’s Grill!
Now, it’s time to get grilling! Preheat grill on medium heat. Brush both sides of eggplant with marinade. Carefully place eggplant slices on the grill, cook until eggplant is cooked through and browned on both sides. Make sure to get some grill marks on those babies! Grilling times may vary depending on the thickness of your slices. Remove from grill and serve with a sprinkling of chopped green onions and additional marinade for dipping.
This dish makes a great side accompaniment to fish or chicken, or even as a topping on your favorite salad. Also, the eggplants make a great addition to a grilled vegetable platter alongside grilled zucchini, Portobello mushrooms, onions, and peppers. Are you drooling yet? Because we sure are! Go for a heart-healthy vegetarian dinner one night and add these to one or two of the following dishes:
We hope you’ll try this recipe. If you do be sure to comment below, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to post it to our Facebook page and #hearthealthygreek on Instagram.
Asian Inspired Grilled Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant
- salt
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp ginger grated
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 green onion chopped
Instructions
- Cut eggplant into thin slices.
- Sprinkle with the salt and let stand in a colander for 30 minutes.
- Rinse with water and pat dry.
- While waiting for eggplant to release its bitterness, prepare the sauce.
- Add all the sauce ingredients to a saucepan, and whisk to incorporate.
- Place saucepan on medium high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Turn heat down and stirring occasionally, continue to cook until thick. This process should only take about 5 minutes, keep a careful eye on the sauce to ensure the sauce does not burn. Remove from heat.
- Preheat grill on medium heat.
- Brush both sides of eggplant slices with the marinade.
- Place eggplant on grill, cook until eggplant is cooked through and browned on both sides. Grilling times will vary, depending on the thickness of your slices.
- Remove from grill and serve with additional marinade and a sprinkling of chopped green onions.
