If you’ve ever thought eggplant was boring, these spectacular eggplant boats are about to change your mind in a big way! Eggplant halves are fried or roasted, then topped with shiitake mushrooms, garlic chips, fresh coriander, and sesame truffle dressing. This dish is a little earthy, a little crispy, super savory, and just fancy enough to impress without being fussy.

The Flavour Affair:

Eggplant + Shiitakes + Garlic + Sesame Seeds + Coriander + Sesame Truffle Dressing

Creamy and crispy, earthy, herby, and umami – this plant-based dish doesn’t feel like it’s missing a thing!

Eggplant: can be either roasted or fried. Tender and silky, it becomes a perfect vessel (or “boat”) to hold all the flavourful toppings. It’s creamy, smoky, slightly sweet and mild enough to act as the ideal canvas for bolder ingredients.

Shiitakes: if I have time, I like to cook them two ways for this dish. First, I fry mushroom caps in a little oil for a couple of minutes until golden. They turn juicy and meaty – very satisfying on the bite. Second, l make shiitake chips by slicing the caps, dehydrating them in an air fryer and quickly deep frying. They come out with a texture that is both crispy and slightly chewy, and an earthy, slightly umami flavour. However, you can easily get away with just the fresh mushrooms!

Garlic Chips: quite simply thin slices of garlic deep fried in oil. It fascinates me how something as simple as garlic can have so many ‘shades’ of flavour! These garlic chips turn out a bit salty, with a pickle-like quality and just a hint of sharpness.

White Sesame Seeds: add a pop of colour and a crunch.

Coriander: helps balance the rich flavours with a fresh, herby finish.

And now for the star of the show – the dressing that ties it all together!

Sesame Truffle Dressing:

This is a bold, savory blend that’s predominantly nutty and earthy, with a touch of citrus and umami. It feels very luxurious because of the truffle – as if you are dining in a fancy restaurant! A perfect way to add a gourmet touch to everyday dishes. Here’s what it contains:

Truffle Oil: bold, earthy, slightly sweet and very aromatic, it’s hard to mistake for anything else. Go for either white or black, whichever is easier for you to source.

Sesame Oil: brings in nutty, ‘roasted’ notes.

Soy Sauce: contributes with salty, umami flavours for more depth. I prefer the less intense light soy sauce.

Mandarin Juice: citrus is essential here to cut through the richness of the dressing. Ideally, I would use yuzu if I could easily find it – it has the perfect balance of tart, sweet and floral. In its absence, the closest one is mandarin juice. I find both lemon and lime to be too sour for this dressing.

Wasabi: has a sharp, clean kick that rises quickly, hits hard, and fades fast, as opposed to chili’s lingering heat.

Brown Sugar or Honey: to help balance the sweet aspects of the dressing.

Rock Salt: just a small pinch for a perfectly rounded flavour. Or use truffle salt if you have it!

Preparation Tips for Eggplant Boats with Shiitakes, Garlic Chips and Sesame Truffle Dressing:

Important: This dish involves a lot of frying, so make sure you’ve got an oil splatter shield to protect yourself from possible oil splashes.

Start with preparing the toppings so that it is ready to be scooped over warm eggplant flesh:

• Separate shiitake caps from legs. Wash them thoroughly and squeeze a few times to let the access water out. In a small pan, fry the caps with a little oil until they turn golden – just a couple of minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain the access oil.
• Thinly slice a few garlic cloves. Add 1/2 cups of cooking oil to the same pan and heat to medium-high. Add the garlic slices and deep fry for 20-30 seconds until they start to turn golden. Keep a close watch as they can easily burn! Transfer to a paper towel to drain the access oil.

Next, make the dressing by whisking together:

• 1 tbsp each white or black truffle oil, sesame oil, light soy sauce and mandarin juice
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar or honey
• 1/3 tsp wasabi
• 1/3 tsp rock salt (or truffle salt if you have)

Then, cook the eggplant:

• Cut it into halves lengthwise. Make a few criss-cross cuts and season with a little salt.
• You can roast the eggplant in the oven if you prefer – I usually pan-fry it because it’s faster. Skin down first for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat, then flip, lower the fire, put the lid on and give it another 4-5 minutes. It’s ready when the flesh is soft.
• Once done, pour 1/2 of the dressing over the open sides of the eggplant and let it sit for a few minutes. Thgis will allow the flavours to blend beautifully.
• While the eggplant is working on absorbing the flavours, mix the other half of the dressing with shiitake caps, 1 tsp sesame seeds and a handful of fresh coriander leaves.

Lastly, fluff the eggplant flesh with the fork and scoop over the mushroom mixture. Top with garlic chips and serve immediately. I mean, does it look absolutely spectacular or what?? 😀

If you own an air fryer, you can also make shiitake chips:

• Wash 20 large shiitake caps thoroughly under running water to get rid of any dirt. Squeeze them hard to let the excess water out and thinly slice across.
• Dehydrate in an air fryer (it usually takes about 1.5-2 hours).
• Use two table spoons of dried mushrooms to make the chips by deep frying them in hot oil for just about 5 seconds, until they’ve browned.
• The rest can be stored in an airtight container.

Serve these eggplant boats as a main for veggie lovers or as a stunning side dish for your next dinner party. Either way, they’ll steal the show!

For more savory sides, check some of these options:

Quick Butter Spinach with Onions, Garlic and Shiitakes

Fried Cauliflower and Zucchini with Tempered Spices

Sesame Green Beans

.