How do you keep fried eggplant from getting soggy?

With the air pockets full of moisture, there’s not as much room for the oil to soak in. Sprinkle salt over the sliced eggplant, let it sweat for 30 to 60 minutes, then rinse and pat dry before cooking.

How do you keep eggplant from being mushy?

To avoid “Soggy Eggplant Syndrome” in your cooked recipes, sprinkle coarse or sea salt on sliced eggplant and let it set for 10 to 20 minutes. Rinse the slices and pat them dry with a paper towel.

How do you store fried eggplant?

EGGPLANT – FRESH, COOKED

To maximize the shelf life of cooked eggplant for safety and quality, refrigerate the eggplant in airtight containers or resealable bags. Properly stored, cooked eggplant will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

How do you remove excess oil from fried eggplant?

If heat is not hot enough, the eggplant will begin to absorb too much oil. When the slices are a dark golden brown, remove them from the pan and place on a plate lined with paper towel. The paper towels will absorb excess oil.

Why is my eggplant chewy?

An undercooked eggplant can have a chewy texture; but overcooked eggplant is just very soft. Do not cook in an aluminum pot because the eggplant will become discolored.

Should I soak eggplant in salt water?

Many recipes call for salting and rinsing eggplant before cooking it to draw out its bitterness. … This technique of soaking sliced or chopped eggplant in salt water is particularly useful when making grilled eggplant. You can brine eggplant for use in any recipe (whether it calls for brining or not) using this method.

What happens if you eat rotten eggplant?

The vegetables are easily damaged, with small bruises on their skins quickly turning into brown spots that can penetrate the flesh. The good news is that these imperfections don’t make the entire eggplant inedible or unsafe.

Why is my fried eggplant soggy?

Blame the Air Pockets for Eggplant’s Sogginess

Add more oil to the pan and it’ll soak that up in a snap, too. So why exactly does this happen? It’s all thanks to the vegetable’s cellular structure. Eggplant has soft, spongy flesh loaded with tiny air pockets, which are quick to absorb up hot oil or liquids.

Can you reheat fried eggplant?

Just fry the eggplant ahead of time and leave at room temperature or store in the fridge (take out of fridge to come to room temperature before reheating). Reheat in the oven at 350.

Why do you soak eggplant before cooking?

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.