Slice the eggplants using a bias cut, 4” to 6” in length (about 3/8” thick). Place the eggs and the San Francisco Teriyaki Marinade in an 8-inch square baking pan or casserole dish and whisk until well combined. In a similar dish, place 1 cup of the flour. In a similar dish combine the sesame seeds, corn meal, and the remaining flour. Pour enough oil into a 12-inch skillet to measure ½ inch and place over high heat. Bring the temperature of the oil to 350°. It’s important to keep the temperature of the oil as close to 350° as possible because if it drops below 325° your eggplant will be oily instead of crisp.
When the oil reaches 350°, place the pieces of eggplant in the flour and coat on both sides. Transfer the eggplant to the wet batter and turn until coated on all sides. Transfer the pieces, a few at a time, to the dry batter. Mound the dry batter over the eggplant pieces and press with your hands until the pieces are evenly coated. Shake off the excess and transfer to the hot oil. Fry the pieces, turning them several times, until they are light golden brown on both sides, about 2–3 minutes in all. Drain on paper towels and serve with New Orleans Teriyaki Glaze dipping sauce while still hot and crisp.
Copyright © 2004 by Paul Prudhomme
