Pan-Grilled Eggplant

The technique itself is very simple. Just cut an eggplant lengthwise or crosswise into slices 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Heat a nonstick skillet (or a very well-seasoned cast iron one) over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, scatter a pinch or two of table salt (or fine sea salt) in the pan. Lay the eggplant slices on top. After a couple of minutes, flip ‘em over. When they are charred to your liking on both sides, transfer them to a bowl or dish. Repeat until you run out of eggplant, adding salt by the pinch as needed.

Now for the fun part - Seasoning:
Since you haven’t used any oil yet, the one mandatory element is a flavorful oil of your choice—it’ll keep the eggplant tender and juicy, rather than leathery. Besides that, there are no wrong answers. Even the way you assemble the dish is up to you: Layer the eggplant with oil and aromatics like Yenbamroong does, or chop it up and mix everything together like a salad.

Seasoning Suggestions:
- Sesame oil, garlic, ginger, scallions, gochujang and rice vinegar
- Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, capers, olives and parsley
- Peanut oil, fish sauce, lime juice, sweet chili sauce, cilantro and crushed peanuts
- Yogurt, olive oil, dill, lemon juice and garlic
- Homemade chili oil, soy sauce, chinkiang vinegar and sesame seeds
- Olive oil, sliced ripe tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar