Asian Eggplant Meatballs with Gochujang Glaze
Roasted eggplant meets tender chicken meatballs in this sweet-spicy twist on a classic. Served over a bed of rice and topped with a glossy Gochujang glaze, this small-batch dish is bold,satisfying, and surprisingly simple to pull off.
Servings: 2 hearty servings
Ingredients
For the 6 meatballs enough for 2 people
- 1 pound Asian eggplant (about 1 large; preferably Korean, or Chinese or Japanese). You can substitute a globe eggplant just add about 10 minutes to your roasting time.
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- 6 ⅓ oz ground chicken
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs plus more to coat the meatballs
- 1 tablespoons grated parmesan
For the Gochujang Sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar , packed
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated
For the fried Scallions
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 scallions trimmed, then very thinly sliced, white and green parts separated.
Instructions
Bake the Eggplant:
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Rinse the eggplant and cut it in half lengthwise. Place it on a parchment lined baking tray, cut side up and score the flesh in a diamond pattern. Brush with olive oil and a tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with salt and add the garlic cloves, without peeling them.
- Roast for about 25 - 35 minutes or until the eggplant is golden and so soft that it can be easily emptied with a spoon. You can also grill the eggplant halves for a smoky flavor. See note 1 below.
Make the Gochujang Sauce:
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic. Whisk to combine, then set aside. If the sauce seems too thick add ½ teaspoon of sesame oil and ¼ teaspoon soy at a time to thin out the sauce. Taste and Adjust seasonings. Add more honey to balance the heat and soy to balance the sweet.
Fried Scallions and Scallion Oil.
- To a large nonstick skillet, add 3 Tablespoons olive oil and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat to medium and fry the scallions, stirring often, until crispy and evenly browned, about 3 - 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried scallions onto a paper towel. Set Aside.
- Reserve 1 Tablespoon of raw scallion greens for garnish, then fry the remaining scallion greens in the oil until crispy and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer fried scallion greens onto a paper towel. Remove the skillet from the heat and leave the oil in the pan. Set the pan aside as we will use it to sauce our meatballs.
- In a medium bowl, Collect the eggplant pulp in a bowl. Add the garlic pulp, squeezing it out from the peel. Now add the ground chicken, and 1 teaspoon fried scallion. the breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon reserved scallion oil. Season with salt, add a slightly beaten egg, and mix thoroughly until the meat mixture is well combined and has become tacky. Sprinkle in breadcrumbs if the meatballs are falling apart.
- Scoop the meatballs, using your wet hands or with an ice cream scoop to make 6 meatballs. Place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Mix together 1 tablespoon of parmesean with 1 tablespoon panko and coat the meatballs in panko mixture. Place the meatballs on the parchment-lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. The meatballs are done when the instant thermometer reads 165°F (74°C).
- Finally, sauce the eggplant meatballs: Pour the reserved gochujang sauce into the reserved fried scallion pan. Heat over medium-low until the gochujang starts to caramelize, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Plate the eggplant meatballs on a large platter. Using a spoon, coat the meatballs with the gochujang glaze. Garnish with the fried scallions and the reserved raw scallion greens. Serve immediately.
Notes
Note 1: To grill your eggplant:
Charcoal Grill: Open the bottom vent, light a full chimney of charcoal (about 6 quarts), and pour the hot coals evenly over the grill. Place the cooking grate, cover, and open the lid vent. Let the grill heat up for about 5 minutes.
Gas Grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and preheat the grill for about 15minutes. Then reduce the burners to medium-high.
Place eggplant on a baking tray or grill pan, cut side up and score the flesh in a diamond pattern. Brush with olive oil and a tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with salt and add the garlic cloves, without peeling them. Grill for 30 minutes or until the eggplant is golden and so soft that it can be easily emptied with a spoon.
Note 2: Serve over white or brown rice.
Consulted eric Kim’s Gochujang-Glazed Eggplant with Fried Scallions and Jul’s Kitchen Eggplant Meatballs for inspiration.