Spicy Gaji Naengchae (Chilled Eggplant Salad)

Ingredients

• For green color, green bell pepper or non-spicy chili peppers also work well.
• To make it mild, you can replace the chili oil with toasted sesame oil.
• Adding shrimp or seafood turns this into an upscale dish to enjoy with drinks.

Steps

1. Prepare the ingredients

   

   

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   The ingredients for chilled eggplant salad are super simple.

   I prepared 2 eggplants and half each of red and yellow bell peppers; it was a bit sad to lack green, but green bell pepper or non-spicy chili peppers are great too.

   For the large green onion, I will finely chop only the white part to add to the dressing.

   Here are the ingredients for Chef Lee Yeon-bok's chili oil. I cut the original recipe in half to make it.

   1/2 cup cooking oil, 2 1/2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), and the white part of large green onion. This is also really simple.

2. Make the chili oil

   

   

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   Split the large green onion for the chili oil in half lengthwise and slice it.

   Since this will go into the microwave, place 1/2 cup cooking oil, the sliced large green onion, and 2 1/2 tbsp gochugaru into a microwave-safe container and mix roughly.

   

   

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   Cover with plastic wrap, poke a few holes, and microwave for a total of 3 minutes, running it in 1-minute intervals 3 times.

   The chili oil boils vigorously, so be careful when taking it out.

   

   

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   Strain out the solids and collect only the clear liquid.

3. Make the chilled salad dressing

   

   For the chilled salad dressing, add 2 tbsp chili oil, 2 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, minced large green onion, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and a little ground black pepper, then stir well so the sugar and salt dissolve, and you are done.

   Taste it and make sure it is not bland so it seasons the eggplant nicely when spooned over.

   If you want to eat it without spice, substitute toasted sesame oil for the chili oil.

4. Slice the ingredients

   

   

   

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   Slice the eggplant lengthwise, not too thick.

   Slice the bell peppers to a similar length as the eggplant, and finely chop the large green onion that goes into the seasoning.

5. Roast the ingredients

   

   

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   Arrange them neatly in the air fryer and sprinkle about two pinches of fine salt all over.

   If you skip seasoning them first, the sauce and ingredients will taste separate and not very good.

   Run it at 180°C for about 7 to 10 minutes. Roasting them until just softened without turning mushy lets you enjoy their texture.

   Adjust the time while checking how they are roasting.

   Bell peppers cook faster than eggplant, so check on them halfway through and take them out first.

   Transfer to another plate, spread them out, and let them cool.

6. Finish the dish

   

   

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   Neatly arrange the eggplant and bell peppers on a shallow bowl-plate and spoon the chilled salad dressing over them.

   

   Making this simple chili oil and using it in stir-fried fish cakes, jjamppong, gochu japchae, or chili shrimp adds a savory kick of spice.

   

   Let the sauce soak into the eggplant and enjoy it cold.

   Revive your summer appetite with this clean, appetizing, spicy chilled salad.

   

   You can adapt the toppings to your taste.

   Tossed together and eaten, it rivals chilled salads from Chinese restaurants.

   It is a simple eggplant banchan, but both the flavor and presentation feel special.

   If you add shrimp or seafood, you can also enjoy it as an upscale dish with drinks.

Ppunwife's tips

• Microwave the chili oil for 3 minutes total in 1-minute intervals 3 times so you can easily keep it from boiling over.
• If you do not sprinkle about two pinches of fine salt before roasting in the air fryer, the sauce and ingredients will taste disjointed.
• Bell peppers cook faster than eggplant, so check on them halfway through air frying and remove them first.

FAQ

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