Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
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A staple of Korean cuisine is banchan, or side dishes. A few different ones are often brought to any table in a certain sort of Korean restuarant. This steamed eggplant side dish is called gaji namul. It is made from steamed eggplant tossed in a savory dressing. It’s quite easy to make and also quite delicious and versatile. It lasts for a while in the fridge, and it can be used up in stir-fry if it’s been hanging around for too long.
The recipe calls for perilla (shiso) leaf, which may be hard to source. It has a flavor reminiscent of mint and basil. A decent replacement for it would be holy basil, which will certainly give the dish a Thai flair.
Because it keeps so well it can certainly be made a day ahead of being served, which can be helpful when trying to prepare a number of side dishes to be part of a big dinner.
Makes about a quart.
Equipment:
large mixing bowl
steamer (large pot with steamer insert)
pie tin for toasting sesame
mortar and pestle for crushing sesame
Ingredients:
1 lb eggplant the skinny Asian eggplants are best for this
3 cloves garlic chopped, optionally crushed
2 ea scallions sliced thin
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp gochujang Korean pepper flakes
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seed toasted and crushed
Procedure:
1. Prepare the steamer for use: put about an inch of water in the bottom of the pan under the steamer insert.
2. Clean and trim the eggplants. Cut them into 3 lengths or so, and cut the fatter sections in half.
3. Place all the eggplant pieces into the steamer for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the eggplants from the steamer to a bowl or tray and allow to sit for 10 min or so until they are cool enough to handle.
5. Meanwhile, in the large mixing bowl, combine the garlic, scallions, soy sauce, fish sauce, gochujang and sesame oil.
6. Once the eggplants are cool enough, shred them into narrow strips and toss them with the dressing.
7. Crush the freshly-toasted sesame seeds and stir them into the eggplant right before serving.
8. Garnish with basil, holy basil, perilla, mint or cilantro as you prefer.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
Check our our Patreon! patreon.com/loveyourfood
Need a kitchen thermometer? Check out ChefsTemp! Use code LoveYourFood for 15% off a meat thermometer! shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=1003201&m=111859&u=3322095&afftrack=
A staple of Korean cuisine is banchan, or side dishes. A few different ones are often brought to any table in a certain sort of Korean restuarant. This steamed eggplant side dish is called gaji namul. It is made from steamed eggplant tossed in a savory dressing. It’s quite easy to make and also quite delicious and versatile. It lasts for a while in the fridge, and it can be used up in stir-fry if it’s been hanging around for too long.
The recipe calls for perilla (shiso) leaf, which may be hard to source. It has a flavor reminiscent of mint and basil. A decent replacement for it would be holy basil, which will certainly give the dish a Thai flair.
Because it keeps so well it can certainly be made a day ahead of being served, which can be helpful when trying to prepare a number of side dishes to be part of a big dinner.
Makes about a quart.
Equipment:
large mixing bowl
steamer (large pot with steamer insert)
pie tin for toasting sesame
mortar and pestle for crushing sesame
Ingredients:
1 lb eggplant the skinny Asian eggplants are best for this
3 cloves garlic chopped, optionally crushed
2 ea scallions sliced thin
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp gochujang Korean pepper flakes
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seed toasted and crushed
Procedure:
1. Prepare the steamer for use: put about an inch of water in the bottom of the pan under the steamer insert.
2. Clean and trim the eggplants. Cut them into 3 lengths or so, and cut the fatter sections in half.
3. Place all the eggplant pieces into the steamer for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the eggplants from the steamer to a bowl or tray and allow to sit for 10 min or so until they are cool enough to handle.
5. Meanwhile, in the large mixing bowl, combine the garlic, scallions, soy sauce, fish sauce, gochujang and sesame oil.
6. Once the eggplants are cool enough, shred them into narrow strips and toss them with the dressing.
7. Crush the freshly-toasted sesame seeds and stir them into the eggplant right before serving.
8. Garnish with basil, holy basil, perilla, mint or cilantro as you prefer.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
