Savory Oyster Sauce Kkwari Gochu Gaji Bokkeum
A side dish of microwaved tender eggplant and mildly spicy shishito peppers stir-fried in a savory oyster sauce seasoning.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
Microwaving the eggplant briefly beforehand reduces oil absorption, making the final dish much cleaner. By adding shishito peppers to an instant chili oil made from garlic and chili flakes and stir-frying with savory oyster sauce, you get a wonderful spicy flavor. Sized for 3 to 4 servings, the combination of tender eggplant and crisp peppers makes an ideal side dish for rice.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Eggplant2, 180 g
- Shishito peppers (kkwari-gochu)20
Seasoning
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1/2 tbsp
- Oyster sauce1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1/2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1/2 tbsp
- My shishito peppers are a mix of large and small ones, but if using medium ones, about 15 will do.
Steps
Prepare ingredients
Prepare 2 medium eggplants and 20 shishito peppers.
My shishito peppers are a mix of large and small ones, but if using medium ones, about 15 will do.
Cut ingredients
Cut the eggplant into shapes similar to the peppers. I cut them into 3 sections and then sliced them into thick batons.
For the shishito peppers, I cut only the large ones in half.
Par-cook eggplant in the microwave
Spread the eggplant onto a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes so it wilts slightly.
Because eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge, par-cooking it like this first shortens cooking time and uses less oil.
Make chili oil
Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a pan, add 1 tbsp minced garlic, and stir-fry briefly to release its aroma.
Add 1 tbsp gochugaru so it fries nicely in the garlic oil and forms chili oil.
If you use fine gochugaru, you can use less while achieving a prettier color and making the chili oil much faster.
Stir-fry quickly over medium-low heat without burning to make delicious chili oil.
Stir-fry
Add the eggplant and shishito peppers, and stir-fry briefly so they are evenly coated in the chili oil.
Add 1/2 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, and 1/2 tbsp corn syrup, then stir-fry until the ingredients soften completely and absorb the seasoning.
Taste and season with salt if it is too bland, or add more corn syrup if you want more sweetness.
Finish by adding toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds at the end.
Finish
Stir-fried eggplant with shishito peppers is done.
Fish cakes, onions, or mushrooms go well with stir-fried eggplant, but shishito peppers are a truly great match too.
The spicy, fragrant chili oil whets your appetite, making this an appealing rice side dish where fluffy eggplant harmonizes with lightly crisp shishito peppers.
If serving to children, leave out the gochugaru and stir-fry the ingredients in just the garlic oil.
Ppunwife's tips
- When you stir-fry eggplant in oil, it absorbs all the oil before wilting, requiring more oil than other stir-fried vegetables; microwaving it once beforehand to wilt it slightly reduces the amount of oil needed and cuts greasiness, making a clean eggplant side dish.
- If you use fine gochugaru, you can use less while achieving a prettier color and making the chili oil much faster.
- Stir-fry quickly over medium-low heat without burning to make delicious chili oil.
- If serving to children, leave out the gochugaru and stir-fry the ingredients in just the garlic oil.
FAQ
Why do you microwave the eggplant before stir-frying?
Eggplant absorbs a lot of oil, so wilting it beforehand in the microwave shortens cooking time and uses far less oil, keeping the dish clean.
How do I make this for children who cannot eat spicy food?
Leave out the gochugaru when seasoning and stir-fry the ingredients in just the garlic oil to keep it mild.
What should I add after stir-frying if it tastes too bland or not sweet enough?
Taste it and add salt if it is bland, or add more corn syrup to adjust the sweetness.
Are there other ingredients besides shishito peppers that go well with eggplant?
Fish cakes, onions, or mushrooms also pair very well when stir-fried with eggplant.
