Vietnamese Eggplant with Scallion oil

Two ways to use sesame oil in one beautiful, simple dish.

Some ingredients show up once in a recipe and disappear into the background.
Sesame oil isn’t one of them.

We started using Gramiyaa Sesame Oil during The LOST Table last month, and it quickly became one of those pantry staples that quietly changes how you cook. It’s nutty, aromatic, and works just as beautifully for cooking as it does for finishing.

This Vietnamese-style eggplant celebrates that balance.
Soft, smoky eggplant cooked till it collapses, a bright lime-and-fish-sauce dressing poured over the top, and a drizzle of scallion oil that makes everything come alive. Two uses of the same oil — one for depth, one for fragrance.

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Ingredients

Eggplant

• 2 Asian eggplants (about 600 g)

For the dressing

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1–1½ tsp lime juice

• ½ tbsp sugar

• 4 tbsp water

• ½ tsp minced garlic

• 1 bird’s-eye chili, seeds removed and minced (optional)

For the scallion sesame oil

• 3 tbsp sesame oil

• ½–¾ cup thinly sliced scallions (green parts only, about 6–8 stalks)

• ⅛ tsp salt

For cooking the eggplant

• 1½ tbsp sesame oil (for roasting or pan-frying)

To serve

• ¼ cup roasted peanuts, lightly crushed

Method

Step 1: Cook the eggplant
Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise. Brush or drizzle with sesame oil and roast or pan-sear on medium-high heat until soft, golden, and lightly charred.

Step 2: Make the scallion oil
In a small pan, heat sesame oil and add sliced scallions with a pinch of salt. Within seconds, they’ll sizzle, release their aroma, and turn the oil fragrant and golden. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Mix the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, garlic, and chili until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust — it should be salty, sweet, sour, and spicy all at once.

Step 4: Assemble
Lay the cooked eggplants on a plate. Spoon the dressing over, drizzle with scallion oil, and finish with crushed peanuts for crunch.