Vietnamese Pickled Eggplant

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Vietnamese Pickled Eggplant

 

These use tiny white eggplants that are nearly impossible to get here.  I tried to grow them without success (this time).  I did not have these so used unripe cherry tomatoes.

 

Ingredients

2 lb eggplant (tiny white SE Asian types) or green cherry tomatoes.

1/4 cup salt

1 TBL galangal root

1 TBL ginger root

12 green chilies - thai peppers or serranos

6 cloves garlic

1/2 cup onion finely chopped

2 cup Granulated sugar

2 cup water

1/4 cup fish sauce

 

1. Rinse off eggplant and pierce with a knife - or cut in half if larger than 3/4 inch in diameter.

 

2. Put eggplant into jar and add salt - and water to top of jar.  Cover with plastic lid and cover loosely.  Let ferment for 7 days.

 

3. Take out eggplant and drain.  Rinse with water.  Put into jars again.

 

4. Chop ginger, galangal, chiles, onion, and garlic.

 

5. Boil water and sugar, add spices and onion, and heat for 5 minutes.  Add fish sauce.

 

6. Pour over eggplants making sure the spices and onion get all around (might have to take out some eggplant and return).

 

7. Cover with plastic lid, and refrigerate.

 

8. Ready in several days.  Will last a very long time in the refrigerator.

 

Notes:  Good alongside other SE Asian dishes, or even alone with rice.  The green tomatoes are not the same texture as the eggplants, but are quite good.  The eggplants are very crispy.