Side dishes · Korean home cooking

Vegan steamed eggplant (gaji namul)

Name: Vegan steamed eggplant (gaji namul)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Slender Asian eggplants; Plant-based soy sauce; Sesame oil; Minced garlic; Spring onion; Sesame seeds; Water

Soft steamed eggplant gently dressed with soy, garlic and sesame oil. A mild Korean vegan side dish made without fish sauce.

20 min2 servings4 stepsDifficulty: Easy

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

Slender Asian eggplants2 (≈300 g)Original quantity: 300 g
Essential
Needed for this version. Keep the listed amount; do not simply leave it out.
Plant-based soy sauce2 small teaspoonsOriginal quantity: 10 ml
Substitute available
If Plant-based soy sauce is unavailable

Use instead
Plant-based tamari

Substitute quantity
2 small teaspoonsReference quantity: 10 ml

Use the displayed replacement amount instead of the original, not in addition. Keep the other quantities and cooking method; check the replacement label for allergens.
Sesame oil2 small teaspoonsOriginal quantity: 10 ml
Essential
Needed for this version. Keep the listed amount; do not simply leave it out.
Minced garlic½ small teaspoonOriginal quantity: 2 g
Essential
Needed for this version. Keep the listed amount; do not simply leave it out.
Spring onion1 (≈10 g)Original quantity: 10 g
Optional
May be omitted. Skip preparing and adding this ingredient; keep the other quantities unchanged.
Sesame seeds1 small teaspoonOriginal quantity: 3 g
Optional
May be omitted. Skip preparing and adding this ingredient; keep the other quantities unchanged.
Water3 paper cupsOriginal quantity: 540 ml
Essential
Needed for this version. Keep the listed amount; do not simply leave it out.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

Step 1

Wash 2 slender eggplants (about 300 g) and remove the caps. Cut into 5 cm lengths and split thick pieces lengthwise so they steam evenly. Finely slice the optional spring onion. Put 3 small paper cups water (540 ml) below a steamer basket; the water must not touch the basket.
Step 2

Bring the water to a boil. Place the eggplant in a loose layer in the basket, cover and steam over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes, until a fork enters easily. Add a little boiling water if the pot is drying out; do not let it boil dry.
Step 3

Move the eggplant to a clean plate and cool for 3–5 minutes until safe to handle. Gently tear lengthwise into bite-size strips. Mix 2 teaspoons plant-based soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil and ½ teaspoon minced garlic in a bowl.
Step 4

Fold the eggplant gently through the dressing without crushing it. Add the optional spring onion and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Taste before adding any extra soy sauce. Serve as a side dish; the steaming water is not part of the dressing.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Helpful tips

Makes 2 servings. A small paper cup is 180 ml, a level tablespoon 15 ml and a teaspoon 5 ml. Use soy sauce and tamari labeled vegan or verified to contain no animal ingredients; avoid fish sauce, oyster sauce, anchovy/meat stock, egg, dairy and honey in this version. Contains soy, wheat and/or sesame depending on ingredients; check labels, including perilla products. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly at 4°C or below, within 1 hour for rice and 2 hours for other dishes; use within 24 hours and reheat once until steaming hot throughout. Rice must already be cooked; do not substitute the same weight of raw rice.