Vietnamese or Chinese eggplants are skinny and longer, but firmer compared to the large eggplants sold in the US market. The Vietnamese and Chinese prefer to use them in cooking compared to large globe eggplants due to their finished texture and easy cooking. These skinny eggplants are usually best roasted and fried as well.

Vietnamese Crispy Battered Fried Eggplant Slices Recipe
defeat:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of rice flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon sugar
a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup of ice water, preferably ice cold mineral water
oil for frying
1/3 cup fish sauce for dipping

Trim ends off each eggplant and slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Soak the slices in water for 10 minutes to decrease the bitterness of the eggplants.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Add the ice water and beat until smooth. Set aside.

Drain the eggplant slices and use paper towels to remove excess moisture. Put them aside.

Pour the oil into a wok or dutch oven to a depth of 1 inch. Heat oil over medium high heat to 350F on a fry thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, stick a bamboo stick into the oil; if small bubbles immediately gather around the toothpick, the oil is ready.

Dip each eggplant slice into the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and then gently drop into the hot oil and lower the temperature of the oil. Fry them in several batches to avoid crowding the pan. Fry about 2 minutes on each side or until golden and crisp. When the slices are done, transfer them to a wire rack to drain.

When all the aubergine slices are fried, place them on a serving plate. Serve immediately with a dipping sauce.

Serves from 4 to 6