Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Let the oven fully preheat before putting the dish in for consistent cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check doneness rather than relying on cooking time alone.
- For salads, pat greens completely dry so the dressing clings instead of sliding off.
- For eggplant dishes, pierce the skin before grilling to prevent it from bursting.
Cooking Tips
Blanch leafy vegetables in boiling salted water for 30–60 seconds, then plunge into ice water. This locks in their bright color and crisp texture. Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Eggplant Parmesan
Sliced Chinese eggplant is breaded with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan and Romano cheeses, then baked until golden before being layered with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella and baked again until bubbly, melted, and golden.
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan, and then fry both sides of the coated eggplants until the color turns medium brown. Set aside.
- Dip the sliced eggplant on beaten eggs, and then on the bread crumb mixture. Place on a clean plate and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce on a rectangular baking pan.
- Arrange the fried eggplants over the marinara sauce. Sprinkle some parmesan and Romano cheeses, and mozzarella cheese on top of the eggplants.
- Create the second layer by spreading marinara sauce on top of the cheeses, and then arrange the remaining eggplants. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the eggplants and sprinkle the remaining cheeses evenly.
- Place in the oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Let the oven fully preheat before putting the dish in for consistent cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check doneness rather than relying on cooking time alone.
- For salads, pat greens completely dry so the dressing clings instead of sliding off.
- For eggplant dishes, pierce the skin before grilling to prevent it from bursting.
Cooking Tips
Add vegetables in stages — hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes) go in first, tender ones (leafy greens, beansprouts) at the very end.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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