Gaji Bokkeum (Stir Fried Eggplant) with Garlic Scapes
A stir-fried side dish combining tender eggplant with crisp garlic scapes, braised with a splash of water as if steamed.
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 →
A stir-fried side dish highlighted by the harmonious textures of tender eggplant and tender-crisp garlic scapes. After stir-frying with the seasoning, adding a splash of water and covering to steam for 3 minutes lets the seasoning soak moistly all the way inside. Using seasonal vegetables, it is wonderful as an everyday summer home-cooked dish.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 3 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Eggplant2, 270 g
- Garlic scapes100 g
- Onion1/2
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Red chili pepper1
Seasoning
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang) (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))2 tbsp
- Oyster sauce1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Water1/3 cup
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1/2 tbsp
- You can also cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and slice them thickly on a diagonal.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
I had 2 eggplants and some leftover garlic scapes, so I prepared them together for stir-fried eggplant.
There is 1/2 onion and 2 chili peppers.
Cut the ingredients
Cut the eggplants into 3 sections, then cut each section in half lengthwise...
Then cut them into 3 sticks each.
Since there are garlic scapes, I cut them into long strips so they blend together well.
You can also cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and slice it thickly on a diagonal.
Cut the garlic scapes to a length similar to the eggplant, and slice the onion not too thinly.
Diagonally slice the chili peppers.
Make the stir-fried eggplant seasoning
Add all seasoning ingredients except water, toasted sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds, then mix.
Stir-fry
Generously swirl cooking oil into a pan, add the eggplant and garlic scapes, and stir-fry briskly.
Let the oil coat the entire surface...
Add the seasoning and stir-fry while lightly tossing so it does not burn.
Add the onion and chili peppers, pour in 1/3 cup (4 tbsp) of water, and mix evenly.
Cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes as if steaming, so the eggplant and garlic scapes become tender to the center and absorb the flavor.
Once all ingredients seem tenderly cooked, turn off the heat, add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and mix to finish.
Finish
Here is the finished stir-fried eggplant.
Rather than chewing just eggplant, the tender-crisp feel of the garlic scapes is also really nice.
Ppunwife's tips
- Thickly sliced eggplant can sometimes fail to absorb the seasoning well, but stir-frying it by adding a little water at the end and steaming makes it tender and allows the seasoning to penetrate thoroughly inside and out, making it much more delicious.
FAQ
Is there a secret to keeping the seasoning from just coating the surface of the eggplant?
When stir-frying the seasoning and vegetables, pour in 1/3 cup of water, cover with a lid, and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes as if steaming; the seasoning will soak tenderly all the way inside.
How should the eggplant be sliced?
You can cut it into long strips to blend well with the garlic scapes, or slice it in half lengthwise and cut it thickly on a diagonal.
Can I substitute large green onion if I do not have garlic scapes? AI-generated
While you will miss the characteristic crisp texture of garlic scapes, cutting large green onion or scallions into long pieces and stir-frying them will still add great aroma.
