Japanese Style Eggplant Marinade Recipe

Ingredients

1 Chinese eggplant (other types of eggplant will work too)
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsp. oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce, available at most Chinese/Asian food stores)
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar + 1-2 more tsp.
7-8 cloves garlic (minced, or 1 1/2 Tbsp. prepared pureed garlic)
Optional: 1 fresh minced red chili (or 1-2 tsp.​ chili sauce)
2 Tbsp. white wine (or cooking wine or sherry)
Squeeze lime juice

How to Make It

In a bowl or cup, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, garlic, and chili (if using). Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Wash and dry the eggplant. Slicing lengthwise, thinly cut the eggplant (about 1/4 inch thick is good). You can then cut these slices into smaller sections, if you wish, but I like to keep mine whole, so that they look like eggplant "cellos". Also, they will stay on the grill easier if they remain wide and flat (see photo).

Place the eggplant slices in a long, flat dish (like a glass lasagna casserole dish). Pour the garlic sauce you made earlier over the slices, turning them to cover with sauce (You will have to pile the slices on top of each other).

Allow eggplant to marinate at least 10 minutes, or up to 24 hours ahead of grilling time (cover and refrigerate for longer periods).
Barbecuing eggplant is very easy. Simply place the eggplant slices on a hot grill, allowing 5-10 minutes each side (this depends on how thick the slices are), or until the eggplant has turned golden-brown and is soft when tested with a fork.

Eggplant Cooking Tips: Note that all of the eggplant is eaten, including the seeds and skin (the skin is where you'll get most of the nutrients).
I also leave on the top (stem) of the eggplant when grilling, so that some of the largest pieces have a "handle", making turning easier. When grilling, be sure to turn the eggplant often, as it can easily burn.

While the eggplant is cooking, pour the remaining sauce from the bottom of the casserole dish into a sauce pan. Place over medium heat, adding a few Tbsp. wine plus a squeeze of lime juice and 1 tsp. brown sugar.

Bring to a near-boil, then reduce heat to minimum. Taste-test the sauce - it should be garlicky and slightly sweet. Adjust the sweetness according to your taste, adding up to 1 more tsp. sugar. If you'd like it more garlicky, add a little more fresh or pureed garlic. If it's too salty for your taste, add another squeeze of lime juice. Note that the sauce should be quite strong - this will complement the mild taste of the eggplant.

To serve, place eggplant on a platter, and either pour the sauce over, or serve it on the side. This eggplant goes well with rice, or any other dishes you might be cooking up. ENJOY!