Here is the delicious and simple Korean steamed eggplant/Gaji Namul goes well with a bowl of rice. 
I like to cook international cuisine in my kitchen, also a fan of Korean cuisine. Even bought essential spices and sauce for Korean dishes, hubby always tell me that you have pantry full of items that you don’t even know when you bought it.
I wanted to make simple Korean dishes, even though this recipe uses Asian eggplants which are really hard to find in my area.
I can get those from Indian store, but it is a long drive (55 miles each way) and the quality is not always good. So I settled with normal eggplant and made this Korean steamed eggplant /Gaji Namul.
I got connected to the book, because author mentioned that she didn’t started cooking until her college days. I too was not that keen of cooking at that time, only eating was my job.
This recipe is adapted from the book cook Korean by Robin Ha. This cook book is really fun book it is like old comic book style with illustrations and write-ups. I think it has been ages I read comics book yes my favorite were Phantom, Superman etc. Good thing about this book is that every dish comes with step by step illustrations.
The illustrations (about 85 recipes) are adorable and descriptive. I especially love the gorgeous watercolors that mark each new chapter--the paintings somehow make the dishes look more delicious than high-res/styled photographs would.
Cook Korean book consists of Introduction which describes about key ingredients in Korean cooking, Korea’s regions and food and Korean meal guide etc. Then there are 10 chapters, of which first chapter is about kimchi and pickles. It varies from easy kimchi , green onion kimchi, chayote pickle and square cut kimchi gazpacho
Then chapter two includes vegetable side dishes, I tried this Steamed Asian eggplant (Gaji Namul) from this chapter. I would also like to try Bean sprout salad, soy spinach and spicy bokchoy.
Chapter 3 includes Meat and poultry which braised beef in soy sauce with eggs, boiled pork belly and ginseng chicken soup etc.
The chapter 4 is about seafood, there is tangy seaweed salad, which sounds delicious. Also there is pan-fried croaker etc. Soups and stews are in 5th chapter with soya bean sprout soup, kimchi stew, soft tofu soup are few.
Sixth chapter is about porridge, I would like to make sweet pumpkin porridge and seafood mushroom porridge.
Then there Noodles and rice cake comprise the 7th chapter with spicy cold noodles, rice cake soup and sweet potato noodles/Japache.
Chapter 8 is my favorite part any international cuisine snack and street food with recipes of Hotteok, Gimbap ( seaweed rice roll) , kimchi bokkumbap( kimchi fried rice) etc.
Then chapter 9 is about cocktails and Anju. I would like to make Persimmon-Red date punch (Sujeonggwa) and water melon soju and Kimchi pancake (kimchi buchimgae) etc.
Final chapter is about Korean fusion dishes, Black soybean noodles, Korean burger.
If you like to try Korean cooking with some fun, then buy this book. Never thought I can make a simple eggplant side dish that too only by steaming and a sauce. I always cook eggplant with masala and spices. For a change I tried this, it is delicious. So give it a try if you want simple trouble side dish.
Here comes the recipe.
First you need to cut the Eggplant
Then Steam the eggplant
Make a sauce with soy sauce, green onion, ginger and chili flakes
Steamed Korean Eggplant /Gaji Namul
Equipment
- Steamer Basket
Ingredients
- Half of one eggplant or 2 large Asian eggplants
- 2 green onion white and green parts
- 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
- ¼ inch piece fresh ginger minced
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon crushed Chile flakes
- Toasted sesame seed for garnish I forgot to add
Instructions
- Cut the eggplant into 2 inch long pieces
- and place it in a steamer and steam it for about 15 minutes or until it becomes soft.
- While eggplant is steaming prepare the sauce with soy sauce, sesame seed oil, green onion, garlic, ginger, sugar and crushed Chile flakes
- Once the eggplant is cool enough to touch mix in with sauce and serve.
- I served with extra green onions; if you want you can add toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
7
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
maha says
dish looks healthy n delicious...love to know abt new dishes.
tigerfish says
I have made something similar before and enjoyed it very much. Simple to prepare yet very delicious. I like the illustration of this book, nice....:)
Suja Manoj says
Simple and yummy,interesting recipe
Rafeeda@The Big Sweet Tooth says
Such an interesting dish... I love how that cookbook looks like too...
Hadia says
Now the sauce is what takes these eggplants to another level of flavor. I am on the hunt for low carb recipes. And this is right up my alley. Thank you for sharing, Swathi. Pinning and tweeting!
beena says
Simple healthy dish
Hema says
A different dish with eggplants and I am just loving that cook book..
Tanusree says
I had something similar recently and loved it. I had been wondering on how to recreate... thanks a lot. I try this out soon.
Swathi says
yes it is simple but delicious.
veena says
Korean is one of my go to cuisine when I am in China.. This looks yum and sounds healthy