Vietnamese or Chinese brinjals are slender and longer, but firmer compared to the large brinjals sold in the US market. The Vietnamese and Chinese prefer to use them in cooking over large globe eggplants due to their final texture and easy cooking. These thin eggplants are usually best roasted and fried as well.
Vietnamese Crispy Battered Fried Eggplant Slices Recipe
defeat:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup ice cold water, preferably ice cold mineral water
oil for frying
1/3 cup of fish sauce to dip
Trim the ends of each eggplant and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Soak the slices in water for 10 minutes to decrease the bitterness of the eggplants.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Add ice water and beat until smooth. Set aside.
Drain the eggplant slices and use paper towels to remove excess moisture. Set them aside.
Pour the oil into a wok or Dutch oven to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil over medium high heat to 350F in a deep-fry thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, stick a bamboo toothpick into the oil; if small bubbles immediately gather around the toothpick, the oil is ready.
Dip each eggplant slice into the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and then gently drop into the hot oil and turn the oil down to low. Fry them in several batches to avoid crowding the pan. Fry about 2 minutes on each side or until golden and crisp. When the slices are done, transfer them to a wire rack to drain.
When all the eggplant slices are fried, place them on a serving plate. Serve immediately with a dipping sauce.
Serves 4 to 6
