Gaji-namul

Ingredients

• 14⅛ ozEggplantpreferably slim Asian variety, halved lengthwise
• 1 tbspSoy saucefor the seasoning sauce
• 1 tspKorean soup soy sauceadds savory depth, listed as optional in one source
• 2 clovesGarlicfinely minced
• 1½ tspSesame oiltoasted, for finishing
• 2 tspSesame seedstoasted, for tossing and sprinkling
• 1Green chilifinely chopped, e.g. cheongyang
• ½ tspKorean chili flakescoarse, for color and mild heat
• 1 tspSugarbalances the seasoning sauce
• 1Red chili pepperseeded, finely chopped, for color (optional)
• 1Green onionfinely chopped (optional)
• 1 tbspOligosaccharide syrupfor gloss and sweetness; rice syrup works too (optional)
• 2 tbspVinegarfor the soaking water to keep the eggplant from browning (optional)
• Saltto taste (optional)
• cooking oilonly if the eggplant is pan-fried (optional)
• 1 tspTuna fish saucefor umami; makes the dish non-vegan (optional)

Method

1. Wash the eggplant, trim off the stem end, halve it lengthwise and cut the halves into bite-sized segments; slim Asian eggplants work best here.
2. If you like, soak the pieces for 5 minutes in water with the white vinegar so they don't brown, then drain them well.
3. Bring water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer insert, add the eggplant, cover and steam until a chopstick slides through without resistance — 3 to 4 minutes, or around 10 depending on the size of your pieces. Don't let them go to mush; they should still hold their shape.
4. Let the eggplant cool briefly, then tear or cut it into bite-sized strips.
5. For the seasoning sauce, stir together the soy sauce, soup soy sauce (gukganjang), minced garlic, sugar, gochugaru and sesame oil; season with salt if it needs it.
6. Fold the eggplant gently into the sauce, taking care not to crush the pieces.
7. Mix in the chopped green chili, the red chili and green onion if you're using them, and the toasted sesame seeds.
8. Serve at room temperature or chilled, with rice.

Tips and variations

Instead of steaming you can pan-fry the eggplant: cut it on the diagonal into slices rather than segments and fry them in a little neutral oil until golden on both sides — the slices then go straight into the sauce without being torn. You can keep the seasoning plain, too: just soup soy sauce, garlic, green onion, sesame oil and sesame seeds, skipping the chili and sugar. Or push it sweeter and bolder with oligosaccharide syrup (rice syrup does the job as well), sugar, gochugaru and a teaspoon of tuna fish sauce for extra umami — though that takes the dish out of vegan territory. Serve gaji-namul at room temperature or straight from the fridge with a bowl of rice; covered, it keeps there for up to a week.