This Sautéed Eggplant is tender in the middle, slightly 'meaty', crisp/caramelized on the outside, is easy to prepare, ready in 20 minutes, and a versatile vegan side dish – made even more delicious with a simple maple soy glaze!
In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, agave or maple syrup, and water.
In a large pan with a lid, over medium-high heat, add the oil.
Carefully add the cubed eggplant to the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until the garlic is nice and brown, but not burned.
Turn off the heat, add the sauce, black pepper, mix well and cover with a lid. Let it sit covered for 2 to 3 minutes.
Garnish with green onions, and optional crushed red pepper, or sesame seeds.
Serve hot.
Notes
Cut even-sized pieces: This will ensure they cook at an even rate.
Use fairly high heat: Just like deep-frying, hot heat will stop the eggplant from overly absorbing oil (since it’s like a sponge!). Instead, you’ll end up with delicious, caramelized eggplant morsels that crisp on the outside while tender in the middle. Delicious!
Don’t overcrowd the pan: Otherwise, the eggplant will steam and not crisp up (which is lackluster at best!). Cook in batches if needed.
Don’t move the eggplant too much: You want to make pan-seared eggplant rather than moving it around. Only touch it when flipping. This is crucial to achieving a wonderful golden brown crust.