Asian Marinated Eggplant

Photo: flickr user FotoosVanRobin

Ingredients

1/4 cup Tamari

2 tablespoons Loosely packed cilantro (coriander or chinese

Parsley) leaves

1 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 mediums cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

3/8 ounce Peeled fresh ginger (1 by ¼ piece cut

inch Crosswise into ¼ slices

4 mediums Sized (2 oz. each) Chinese eggplants *

Preparation

* (Here they call them Japanese - the small skinny light purple or lavender ones)

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT EGGPLANT in a blender or processor. Process until smooth. Prick th eggplants several times with a fork and pull off the leaves. Cut in half lengthwise. On the open side of each half make three deep diagonal slashes in each direction. Place eggplants skin side down in a 13x9x2 oval dish.

Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of the marinade over each eggplant half. Rub into flesh so that it runs into the cuts. Turn eggplants skin side up. Pour remaining marinade into the dish. Let stand 45 minutes.

Turn eggplants skin side down. Cover tightly with microwave plastic wrap.

Cook at high power for 10 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam. Remove, uncover, spoon sauce over eggplants. Serve as side dish. Recommended with grilled fish steak or chicken breast (of course I'd baste that with a soy based marinade).

I may try this over a wok steamer rather than in the microwave.

WHICH REMINDS ME: Stephen, I love a dish which I have seen referred to as Yu Shaing Eggplant. Based on a Yu Shaing sauce. Which is, to some extent, translated as fish sauce (I know the yu or ju is fish) not made from it but to go with it, I gather. It is certainly not nuoc mam but I don't know if it contains it. It is rather hot and by flavor I would guess it comes from the northern provinces - perhaps NE end of China. I have also had it with fresh pork strings. Glorious. Do you have any idea what it is or a recipe??? I have been unable to find it anywhere in my Chinese library. The restaurant where I eat it is not one to give recipes or ingredients to non-Chinese (if they'd give it to the Chinese. The place is popular with the newer Chinese community here. (The old timers are all Cantonese and so well integrated that they probably consider red beans and rice their d