This Honey Garlic Eggplant and Shrimp recipe is a great party dish. Serve it on top of a pita or Naan bread as an appetizer. Serve it on a bed of rice for a full meal. The tenderness of the Asian eggplants in the honey garlic sauce is everything!
1/3cupHoney Garlic Sauce - I used VH Honey Garlic Marinade
Instructions
Cut off the ends of each eggplant and discard. Cut the eggplants into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice and cover with cool water. Let stand for at least 15 minutes.
2 Eggplants, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of cooking oil in a large skillet, over medium heat. Add the shrimp. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning once midway. Once the shrimp have cooked through and turned pink, stir in the dried basil, and transfer shrimp onto a plate.
1 pound shrimp, 1 teaspoon dried basil
Heat remaining oil in the skillet you used to sauté the shrimp. Drain the eggplant and sauté them for about 5 minutes. Add the honey garlic sauce and stir well to combine.
1/3 cup Honey Garlic Sauce
Stir in the cooked shrimp to the skillet with the eggplant and add more sauce if required. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Cut the eggplant into even-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
To help preserve the purple color of the eggplant event after it's cooked, add acidity and/or salt to the eggplant before cooking it.
Overcrowding the pan can lead to steaming instead of stir-frying. Cook the shrimp and eggplant separately or in batches to ensure they cook evenly and get a nice sear.
Do not overcook the shrimp; they will become dry and rubbery. Saute the shrimp until they turn pink and opaque.