Dried Eggplant is made from Chinese eggplant. When made at home, it is dried in the sun on a tray with holes. When you dry and rehydrate this eggplant, it gets a chewy texture.
Before using you can rehydrate it two ways. The ideal way is to soak the eggplant overnight. The longer the eggplant is soaked the softer the texture will be. Depending on the texture you want you can soak it for a longer or shorter amount. Place the eggplant into cold water or rice water and let it soak in the fridge for 4-5 hours to overnight. Once it is done soaking, squeeze out the excess water, and it is ready to be cooked. If you are short on time, the second way to process the dried eggplant is to blanch it in boiling water for a few minutes and then submerge it in an ice bath. Be careful not to over-boil it or it may get too soft.
Dried eggplant, once rehydrated, is often seasoned and stir-fried or braised as a side dish, seasoned and served with rice (덮밥), added to soups, or deep-fried. It can also be used as a substitute for meat.
