Fried Eggplant Fans

By TPMay

For this recipe, use the long, thin, deep red or bright purple eggplant variously called Japanese, Chinese, or Asian eggplant. They are firm with small seeds. Each eggplant is split lengthwise in half and then the halves are cut into thin slices still attached at one end; when spread out and fried, they look like beautiful crisp brown fans. The fans are good as a garnish for grilled meat or poultry, as an appetizer, or on a salad. They are best eaten right out of the skillet, but you can keep them for 10 or 15 minutes if you arrange them in one layer on a wire rack, so they don't get soggy underneath, and put them in a warm oven. The batter should be very cold to produce the crispest coating.

Ingredients

• 2 Japanese or Chinese eggplants (about 6 ounces each, 8 to 10 inches long and 2 inches thick)
• Batter
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup ice-cold water
• 1/2 About 1/2 cup canola oil, for frying
• Salt

Preparation

Step 1

Cut each eggplant lengthwise in half on a diagonal on a cutting board, so one end of each half eggplant is thicker than the other end. To make the fans, turn a half eggplant cut side down with the thick end toward you and cut lengthwise into thin slices (about ¼ inch thick), cutting from the thin end to the thick end and leaving the slices attached at the thin end. You should get 7 or 8 slices. Press on the slices to spread them out to create a fan about 6 inches wide at the wide end. Repeat with the remaining eggplant halves.
For the batter:
Mix the egg yolks, flour, and ¼ cup of the ice water with a whisk in a bowl to make a thick, smooth batter. Add the remaining ½ cup ice water and mix it in. (If making the batter ahead, refrigerate.)
At cooking time, heat the oil in two large nonstick skillets (or fry in two batches, using half the oil for each one). Dip each fan into the batter so it is well coated on both sides, place 2 of them, in one layer, in the hot oil in each skillet, and press lightly to make the fans spread out. Cook over high heat for about 4 minutes on the first side, then turn over and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the other side, until cooked through, crisp, and well browned on both sides.
Using a spatula, transfer the eggplant to a wire rack. Sprinkle with salt and serve. Or keep warm on the rack in a 145-degree oven for a few minutes, until ready to serve.