This incredible eggplant and egg omelet will revolutionize the way you think about cooking eggplant forever. No steaming, no boiling, no baking required – just a simple pan-frying technique that transforms humble ingredients into a golden, crispy masterpiece. The natural sweetness of perfectly cooked eggplant combines with fluffy eggs and succulent shrimp to create a dish so irresistible, it’s always the first to disappear from the table. This beginner-friendly recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort, proving that sometimes the simplest techniques produce the most extraordinary flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 medium purple eggplants (600g / 1.3 lbs)
- 3 large eggs
- 100g (3.5 oz) fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5g)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (1g)
- 1/2 tsp seasoning powder or chicken bouillon (1g)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (30g / 1 oz)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil (45ml / 1.5 fl oz)
- 1 tsp salt for cleaning (5g)
- 1 tsp baking soda for cleaning (5g)
Instructions
Cleaning and Preparing Eggplants:
- Clean thoroughly: Place eggplants in a large basin with salt and baking soda. Add enough water to submerge completely. The baking soda removes chemicals and pesticides while salt kills bacteria. Soak for 10 minutes.
- Scrub gently: After soaking, gently rub the skin to clean. Be careful around the stem area as it has tiny sharp spines. Rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove all salt and baking soda residue.
- Remove stems: Cut off the prickly stems as they’re tough and can affect the dish’s texture.
- Slice uniformly: Cut eggplants into thin rounds about the thickness of a coin, then cut into thin, even strips. Uniform cutting ensures even cooking and smooth texture.
Preparing the Mixture:
- Prepare eggs: Crack 3 eggs into a bowl and set aside.
- Prepare shrimp: Cut fresh shrimp into small pieces. The natural sweetness of shrimp complements the eggplant beautifully.
- Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced eggplant, chopped shrimp, and finely chopped scallions.
- Season the mixture: Add salt, pepper, and seasoning powder. Pour in the beaten eggs.
- Mix thoroughly: Using chopsticks, stir the mixture in one direction until every piece of eggplant is evenly coated with egg. Continue mixing until eggs become slightly foamy.
- Add cornstarch: Sprinkle cornstarch over the mixture and stir well. This helps the egg cling to eggplant and prevents breaking during cooking while adding light crispness.
Cooking the Omelet:
- Heat the pan: Heat a non-stick pan over low heat and add cooking oil.
- Add mixture: Immediately add the eggplant and egg mixture. Don’t use high heat – spread evenly with a flat ladle or chopsticks.
- Cook slowly: Let it cook slowly over low heat so eggs set gently. The slow cooking helps release excess moisture from eggplant and preserves nutrients that would be lost at high temperatures.
- Cover and cook: Cover with a lid and cook for about 2 minutes. Test doneness by moving the pan – if the omelet slides freely, the bottom is cooked.
- Flip carefully: Use the plate-flipping method: slide omelet onto a large plate, then invert the plate back into the pan. This prevents breaking.
- Cook second side: Continue cooking over lowest heat until the other side is done. Keep moving the pan to ensure even cooking and prevent burning the center.
- Final touches: Press edges gently with spatula for even cooking. Pan-fry until both sides are golden and fragrant.
Time and Servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes (including soaking time)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4-6 people
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 165
- Protein: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fat: 10g
- Fiber: 4g
Why This Recipe Is Healthy
This eggplant omelet is a nutritional powerhouse packed with essential minerals and vitamins. Eggplant is exceptionally rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, and copper, along with vitamins B1, B12, and PP. The high magnesium and calcium content, combined with vitamins A and C, helps improve bone structure and boost immune system function. Eggplant’s high fiber content effectively helps eliminate toxins and provides benefits for digestive health. The low-heat cooking method preserves these valuable nutrients that would otherwise be destroyed by high-temperature cooking. Additionally, eggplant contains compounds that support cardiovascular health and may have anti-cancer properties, making this dish both delicious and incredibly beneficial for overall wellness.
Important Note: Eggplant must be cooked thoroughly to avoid potential skin and mouth irritation caused by naturally occurring compounds. The slow, complete cooking method in this recipe ensures safe consumption.