These Korean eggplant skewers look divine as part of a barbecue feast, piled high and vibrant in colour. Eggplant is also cheap and plentiful at the moment and these skewers will be devoured by vegetarians and omnivores alike. The glaze on these is based around gochujang, a Korean hot pepper paste. This thick sticky condiment that contains fermented soybeans, glutinous rice and salt is the backbone of Korean cooking. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s best to think of gochujang as similar to miso – just as versatile and a little goes a LONG way… I like to stir it into marinades, dipping sauces, stews and whatever else I can think of; we adore it!
Skewers are always a fun way to cook, but with eggplant you need to take care. Undercooked eggplant can be bitter and a strange texture making the overall experience rather awful. I like to cut the eggplant into 4cm cubes, these will be big enough for skewering and still cook perfectly. If you like a real spicy kick, marinate the eggplant cubes in the sauce (minus the honey) for an hour or so before hand. This will give the Korean eggplant skewers a lovely heat that is rounded out by the sweetness of the honey.
If I was cooking these on the weekend, I would use our charcoal barbecue. The smokiness of the charcoal adds another flavour dimension to the skewers that is reminiscent of the Korean barbecue. But midweek, I just go with our gas barbecue – it’s just as tasty but much quicker to get dinner on the table. The temperature of your barbecue is important, as the honey will burn if the grill is too hot. Keep it a medium heat and let them take a little longer. They’ll be sticky and utterly sublime.
Ingredients
- 20 wooden bamboo skewers
- 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 4 tsp soy sauce
- 4 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cm fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 x Asian eggplants
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- Fresh coriander and sesame seeds to serve
Instructions
Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. This is to stop them from burning on the barbecue and collapsing. In a jug, mix together the gochujang, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and garlic until combined. Cut the eggplant in 4 cm cubes and toss in a bowl with half the marinade. Stir until everything is combined. Leave aside for 30 minutes so the eggplant can absorb the flavour. Add the runny honey to the other half of the marinade and mix until combined. Thread the eggplant cubes on to the skewers, leaving a little gap between each piece.
Turn your barbecue on and get it to a medium heat. Set the eggplant skewers on the barbecue and lightly brush one side with the glaze. Every few minutes, gently turn the skewers, and brush the side facing up with the glaze. After 15 to 20 minutes, the glaze should be sticky and the eggplant cooked through. Remove from the barbecue. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, fresh coriander and serve with fresh green salad or crisp slaw.
Leftovers pack well for lunches the next day as well.
