eggplant parmasan with US eggplant.

Sorry, its not asian, but its my favourite use for the big purple ones.

Just slice the japanese eggplant and put in a stirfry. One of the best stir fries I ever had was eel (unagi) and eggplant - delish!

Both work well in curries...

The first thing I find with eggplants is that peeling can be made 100x easier if you boil them first and let them soften inside... boil it for about twenty minutes (covered) and then remove and peel... the skin should come off easily. Cut the egglants into cubes, or chips, or whatever texture you think works best.

I usually combine Ghee with Peanut oil together, it's a combo that can take some higher frying temperatures, preheat the oil and first add lots of fresh diced garlic and onions so the oil is pre-flavored. Add the eggplant into the mix and have the temperature high enough to sear it a little first, just slightly, before the liquid within starts to drain out and turn the bottom of the pan into a soup. Reduce the flame when the liquid comes out, turning the cubes or chips over, and add curry, goat's milk, cream, or coconut milk... perhaps some yogurt even as a sauce base. Add a can of any beans, the liquid in the can actually is a help to the sauce making, I find white kidney beans work well. Cover and reduce the flame to a simmer, return to stir occasionally. When the eggplant peices are all beginning to be throughly cooked remove the cover and reduce the fluid on a higher boil until it thickens a little, stirring more frequently on higher heat...

Be sure you have a seperate pot where some delicious basmati rice is ready.

Combine on plates a bed of rice with the eggplant above

Both Indian and US eggplant work equally well in the dish, Though Indian Eggplant when boiled will cook more thoroughly and faster and might not need much fying time due to it's being more skinny. It will, however, require more peeling for the same amount of eggplant.

baked with miso sauce

fat slices drizzled w/olive oil on both sides (it sucks up oil like crazy, so I try to brush it on quickly)...I flip them, so they brown on both sides. After flipping them, I'll thickly spread on top of each slice:

a mix of
shiro miso
grated/shredded ginger
splash or so of plain rice vinegar
lil sugar
splash of mirin

And then I brown it some more. Not the most delightful looking fellas, but ohh so yummy!

And then of course there's spicy garlicy sauce like in all the restaurants out here in SF Bay Area...savory, oily goodness!