Slow Roasted Eggplant with Garlic, Hoisin, and Basil

Omg, it’s March! Omg, we get married in 101 days! Omg, I feel like time is going by way too fast and I haven’t crossed enough off my to-do list!

In the spirit of having way too much to do in life, here is a very delicious and effortless meal you don’t have to think too much about! This eggplant recipes takes awhile to cook, but the amount of active time is only 5 minutes! All you do is place an eggplant in the oven (no salt or oil need), flip it every 15 minutes, and let it do it’s thing for about an hour. It will come out soooooo creamy and tender. The sauce comes together almost instantly and it’s perfect for pouring over the creamy eggplant and eating with a scoop of freshly steamed rice!

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Slow Roasted Eggplant with Garlic, Hoisin, and Basil

Serves 2 to 3 (easily scalable)

1 large eggplant (about 1 lb)

1 1/2 tbsp hoisin

2 tsp dark soy

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sriracha 

1  tsp honey

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp garlic, minced

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Fresh basil, for garnish 

1. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Cut 3 to 4 slits along the length of the eggplant (on various sides) to help it vent while it’s cooking. Place on the parchment paper lined sheet pan and bake in the oven until it’s super creamy and tender, 1 hour or a little longer for a larger eggplant. Rotate the eggplant every 15 minutes so it bakes evenly.

3. When the eggplant is almost done, prepare your sauce. In a small bowl, mix to combine hoisin, dark soy, salt, sriracha, honey, sesame oil, cornstarch, and water. In a small frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Give the sauce a quick mix and then pour into the pan. Stir the sauce until it is thick and glossy. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a minute before pouring over the eggplant.

4. Take the eggplant out of the oven and open up with forks or a pair of chopsticks. Transfer the eggplant to a plate and fan out the eggplant to expose the creamy insides. Pour the garlic sauce over the eggplant, sprinkle on sesame seeds, and chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately with steamed rice.