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Vietnamese Eggplant Stew 2

Serves 4 to 6 Entree vegetarian

Vietnamese Eggplant Stew 2

Vietnamese Eggplant Stew 2 is a cherished staple at home tables across Vietnam, where it is lovingly prepared on weekends or family gatherings. This recipe captures the essence of home cooking, with each household imparting its own touch of salt and a generous hand with the olive oil, creating a dish that invites sharing and indulgence.

Expect a robust, savory melody as the eggplants and tomatoes meld together, infused with the aromatic warmth of garlic and the subtle sweetness of onions. The stew should feel hearty yet comforting, with each bite offering a perfect balance of softness and earthiness, seasoned precisely to your taste with fine sea salt and black pepper.

Ingredients

  • 2eggplants
  • 2tomatoes
  • 1onion
  • 80 mlolive oil
  • 3 clovesgarlic
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Begin by preparing the vegetables. Cut the 2 eggplants into bite-sized cubes, and the 2 tomatoes into wedges. Peel and finely chop the 1 onion, and mince the 3 cloves of garlic. Season the eggplant cubes with a generous pinch of fine sea salt to draw out moisture and bitterness, setting them aside for about 10 minutes.
  2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 80 ml of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and soft, releasing its sweetness into the oil.
  3. Add the minced garlic to the pot with the onion. Stir continuously for about a minute, allowing the garlic to become fragrant without browning, which would make it bitter.
  4. Rinse the eggplant cubes under cold water to remove excess salt, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Add the eggplant to the pot, stirring to coat them evenly in the aromatic oil. Cook until the eggplant begins to soften and absorb the oil, turning a light golden color.
  5. Add the tomato wedges to the pot, stirring them in gently. Allow the tomatoes to cook down, releasing their juices and melding with the eggplant. The stew is ready when the eggplant is tender and the tomatoes have broken down into a thick, rich sauce.
  6. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt and black pepper to your preference. The final texture should be soft and cohesive, with the eggplant and tomatoes melding into a savory, aromatic stew. Serve the stew warm, ideally with steamed rice, and enjoy the comforting flavors of Vietnamese home cooking.
Cover of Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Vietnamese volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

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