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    Home » By Season » Summer Salads

    Roasted Chinese Eggplant Salad with 5-Spice

    Filed Under: Make Ahead Salads, Summer Salads, Vegan

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    This roasted Chinese eggplant is sooo good you just won’t be able to stop eating it! We added Chinese 5 spice which means that all your tastes are covered in this one salad - from sour, bitter, salty, sweet and umami.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    CLOSE UP OF CHINESE EGGPLANT SALAD PORTRAIT

    A flavourful salad that will keep vegetarian, vegan, gluten and dairy-free eaters happy.

    Great to serve as part of an Asian banquet or as a side at your next BBQ.
    Try it with…

    • Char Siu Pork 
    • Vegan Singapore Noodles
    • Spicy Chicken
    • Skirt Steak

    Ingredients & substitutions for Chinese eggplant salad

    Eggplant :

    • We have used the regular eggplant that you will be able to find easily in your supermarket, but feel free to choose whatever type takes your fancy. It can also be made with the Japanese or long eggplant, just cut it into strips, not into rounds.
    • Please make sure that you take the time to salt your eggplants for this recipe (refer to tips below).

    Pepper, Chillis & Onions :

    • I have used hot red chillis and long bullhorn peppers for a combination of heat and a mild pepper taste. But feel free to use just peppers or just chillis – whatever suits your tastes. I have also made it with green onions and without any onions.
    • You will need to have a mix of colours and be sure that it all comes to approximately 200 grams.

    Ginger & Garlic :

    • We have used both ginger and garlic here which is a classic Asian flavour combination. I have substituted the ginger with galangal successfully here as well and have also made it without the garlic and doubled the ginger and it was still a great mix.
    • The difference between ginger and galangal is that ginger has more of a fresh, spicy-hot taste with a touch of sweetness while galangal has more of a citrus almost pine-like taste.

    The Oils :

    • I have used coconut oil to cook the eggplants and it just gives them such a wonderful aroma but you can also use any neutral flavoured oil that you have on hand.
    • Sesame oil is used for frying the chilli, pepper and onion mix but if you find sesame oil a bit strong to fry in just use a neutral flavoured oil.
    • For the dressing, I have used MCT (medium-chain triglycerides) oil for its neutral taste and toasted sesame oil for its nuttiness.
    • Feel free to substitute the MCT oil with any neutral oil but as I cooked my eggplant in coconut oil they just work really well together.
    • I do not recommend substituting the sesame oil with anything it is a key ingredient that really makes this salad sing.

    Chinese 5 Spice :

    • This spice is used to add an Asian accent to any dish and it usually includes a combination of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns.
    • You should be able to find it in the spice section of your supermarket or at any Asian market.
    • If you are unable to find it however you can try making it yourself by mixing 1 tablespoon each of anise powder, ground - Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, cinnamon and cloves.
    • This should make just over ¼ cup, just use whatever you need for this recipe and you can store the leftovers in a glass, sealed container in a dark part of your pantry to use again (great with chicken or pork ribs).
    • As a simpler blend try a combination of cayenne pepper, cinnamon and ground cloves this should also work as it covers the 5 tastes of sour, bitter, salty, sweet and umami which is the hallmark of Chinese 5 spice blend.
    CHINESE EGGPLANT SALAD IN PORTRAIT

    How to make Chinese eggplant salad

    There are several stages to making this salad and so that you are not wasting too much time it is important to get the order of things right.

    In reality, there are only 15-20 minutes at the most where you are actively doing something, preparing the eggplant, cutting the vegetables and frying them, making the vinaigrette and then assembling everything.

    The rest of the time you are waiting for your eggplants while they are salting (30 minutes) and while they are roasting (40 minutes).

    1Prepare your eggplant
    Wash your eggplants cut off the tops and bottoms and slice into 2.5 cm (½ inch rounds).
    Place in a colander in layers and salt each layer with coarse sea salt, let stand for 30 minutes.
    Preheat your oven to 220°C (430°F)

    • CUTTING EGGPLANTS INTO ROUNDS WITH A KNIFE ON A WOODEN BOARD
      CUT EGGPLANT IN ROUNDS
    • SALTING EGGPLANT ROUNDS 1 LAYER AT A TIME IN A COLANDER
      SALT YOUR EGGPLANTS
    • LAYERS OF EGGPLANT ROUNDS IN A COLANDER BEING SALTED
      ONE LAYER AT A TIME
    • ALLOWING EGGPLANT ROUNDS TO STAND IN A COLANDER WITH SALT
      LET STAND FOR 30 MINS
    • SALTED EGGPLANT ROUNDS IN A COLANDER WITH WATER BEADS FORMING
      WAIT FOR BEADS TO FORM
    • PATTING EGGPLANT ROUNDS IN A COLANDER TO REMOVE WATER BEADS
      PAT DRY WITH A TOWEL

    2Make your pepper mix.
    While your eggplants are salting it is time prepare your pepper mix.
    Wash and remove the seeds from your chillis (leave the seeds if you like hot food) then slice thinly.
    Wash your bullhorn capsicum (pepper) remove the core and seeds then chop into small dice.
    Remove the papery skin from your onion and chop into small dice.
    Heat a large frypan on medium to high heat, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, add your sliced chillis, the diced capsicum and onion and sauté until soft (2-3 minutes).
    Mince your garlic clove and grate 1 tablespoon of ginger and add to your frypan and cook until aromatic (approximately 2-3 minutes).

    • SLICING RED CHILLIES ON A BOARD WITH KNIFE
      SLICE CHILLIS
    • DICING BULLHORN PEPPERS WITH A KNIFE ON A WOODEN BAORD
      DICE PEPPERS
    • DICING RED ONIONS WITH A KNIFE ON A WOODEN BAORD
      DICE ONIONS
    • PEPPERS, CHILLIES & RED ONION WITH SESAME OIL BEING FRIED IN A PAN
      FRY IN SESAME OIL
    • PEPPERS, CHILLIES & RED ONION WITH SESAME OIL BEING FRIED IN A PAN WITH GINGER AND GARLIC ADDED
      ADD GINGER & GARLIC
    • PEPPERS, CHILLIES,RED ONION, GARLIC & GINGER WITH SESAME OIL BEING FRIED IN A PAN
      FRY UNTIL SOFT

    3Cook your eggplant
    Pat your eggplant dry, and place on a lined baking tray, drizzle with the melted coconut oil and 1 teaspoon of the Chinese 5 Spice powder.
    Place on the middle rack of your oven and cook until golden on one side (approximately 15-20 minutes).
    Turn your eggplant over and sprinkle with the other teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice and drizzle some additional oil if your eggplant is looking a bit dry. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes).

    • EGGPLANT ROUNDS ON A LINED BAKING TRAY WITH 5-SPICE
      PLACE EGGPLANT IN TRAY
      & ADD 5-SPICE
    • COOKED EGGPLANT ROUNDS
      COOK UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN, TURNING HALF WAY

    4Make your vinaigrette
    While your eggplants are cooking wash your coriander (cilantro), pat dry and chop roughly, then place to one side.
    Add all your vinaigrette ingredients to a glass jar and shake until emulsified (there is no need to season as there will be enough seasoning from the salted eggplant and from heat from the chillies).

    • INGREDIENTS FOR CHINESE 5 SPICE VINAIGRETTE IN A GLASS JAR ON MARBLE BACKGROUND
      PLACE ALL YOUR DRESSING INGREDIENTS IN A GLASS JAR
    • CHINESE 5 SPICE VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS SHAKEN IN A GLASS JAR
      SHAKE YOUR VINAIGRETTE
      UNTIL EMULSIFIED

    5Assemble your salad
    Arrange your eggplants on a round platter, pour over your dressing, then place your chilli mix on top of the eggplant, scatter the chopped coriander on top of the chilli mix and serve when you are ready.

    • ROASTED EGGPLANT ROUNDS ON A PLATTER
      ARRANGE EGGPLANT ON A PLATTER
    • POURING VINAIGRETTE OVER ROASTED EGGPLANT ROUNDS
      POUR OVER YOUR VINAIGRETTE
    • ADDING CHILLI, PEPPER MIX TO ROASTED EGGPLANT ROUNDS
      SCATTER YOUR CHILLI MIX ON TOP
    • ADDING CHOPPED CORIANDER (CILANTRO) TO ROASTED EGGPLANT ROUNDS WITH CHILLI MIX
      ADD YOUR CORIANDER (CILANTRO)

    Some tips for making this Chinese eggplant salad

    • It is essential that you take the time to salt the eggplant for this salad we want to draw out the moisture and concentrate the flavour of the eggplant so it has a creamier more luscious texture.
    • Make this salad with the dressing the day before to allow the flavours to develop and soak through the eggplant this will transform it into little sponges of deliciousness. Just add the chopped coriander (cilantro) just before serving.
    • A great salad to food prep for weekday lunches as it keeps so well in the fridge. Just add the coriander the day before.
    • It travels well so it is perfect to take to picnics, pot lucks or barbecues.

    Some more eggplant salad recipes to try...

    • SAUTEED-EGGPLANT-SALAD
      SAUTEED-EGGPLANT-SALAD
    • MEDITERRANEAN ROASTED EGGPLANT SALAD
      MEDITERRANEAN ROASTED EGGPLANT

    CHINESE EGGPLANT SALAD

    Chinese Eggplant Salad with 5-Spice

    This Chinese eggplant is sooo good you just won’t be able to stop eating it! We added Chinese 5 spice which means that all your tastes are covered in this one salad - from sour, bitter, salty, sweet and umami. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Salting time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
    * Times are an estimate and will depend on your skill level
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Keyword: Intermediate
    Servings: 4 as a side
    Calories: 415kcal
    Ingredients
    For the eggplants
    • 1.2 kg eggplants (approximately 3 medium)
    • ¼ cup coconut oil
    • 2 tsps Chinese 5-Spice powder
    • Coarse sea salt
    For the chilli mix
    • 3 long chillis approximately 60 grams
    • 2 bullhorn peppers (or banana capsicums - approximately 80 grams)
    • 1 small onion (approximately 60 grams)
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
    For the Chinese 5-spice Vinaigrette
    • ¼ cup MCT or any other neutral oil
    • 2 tbsps sesame oil
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar (use non-seasoned for keto and lime juice for gluten-free)
    • 2 tbsps soy sauce (use coconut aminos or tamari for keto & gluten free)
    • ½ teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice powder
    Metric - Imperial
    Instructions
    • Wash your eggplants cut off the tops and bottoms and slice into 2.5 cm (½ inch rounds).
    • Place in a colander in layers and salt each layer, let stand for 30 minutes.
    • Preheat your oven to 220°C (430°F).
    • Wash and remove the seeds your chillis (leave the seeds if you like the heat) then slice thinly.
    • Wash your bullhorn capsicum (pepper) remove the core and seeds then chop into small dice.
    • Remove the papery skin from your onion and chop into a small dice.
    • Heat a large frypan on medium to high heat, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, add your sliced chillis, the diced capsicum and onion and sauté until soft (2-3 minutes).
    • Mince your garlic clove and grate 1 tablespoon of ginger and add to your frypan and cook until aromatic (approximately 2-3 minutes).
    • Pat your eggplant dry, and place on a lined baking tray, drizzle with the coconut oil and 1 teaspoon of the Chinese 5 Spice powder.
    • Place on the middle rack of your oven and cook until golden on one side (approximately 15-20 minutes).
    • Turn your eggplant over and sprinkle with the other teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice and drizzle some additional oil if your eggplant is looking a bit dry. Return to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes).
    • Wash your coriander (cilantro), pat dry and chop roughly, place to one side.
    • Add all your vinaigrette ingredients to a glass jar and shake until emulsified (there is no need to season as there will be enough seasoning from the salted eggplant and from heat from the chillies).
    • Arrange your eggplants on a round platter, pour over your dressing, then place your chilli mix on top of the eggplant, scatter the chopped coriander on top of the chilli mix and serve when you are ready.
    Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
    Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Sodium: 519mg | Potassium: 884mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @salads_with_anastasia or tag #salads_with_anastasia!

    CHINESE EGGPLANT SALAD
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    About Anastasia

    Anastasia is a home cook introduced to cooking at a young age (8 years old) and hasn’t gotten out of the kitchen since! She had her own coffee shop and ran her own catering business for over a decade. Her love of salads developed as she was always the one responsible for making the salads for family get-togethers and friends functions.

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