How to Cut Eggplant When Sauteeing

Slice the eggplant before cubing it.

Eggplant is not exactly a staple at American dinner tables, though some people are big fans of the dark purple plant. Eggplant originated in India and was introduced to North America by Thomas Jefferson, who planted it in his native Virginia. As a result, the vegetable is more popular in the southern region of the United States. But you'll also find it in dishes of Italian, French and Asian origin throughout the nation. Consumers can use eggplant many ways, including sauteing it. The quickest way to saute eggplant is to cube it prior to cooking. Does this Spark an idea?

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Cutting board
Chef's knife
Eggplant
Paper towels

Instructions

- 1
  
  Place a clean cutting board and a stainless steel chef's knife on your work surface.
- 2
  
  Wash the eggplant under cool, running water. Pat it dry with paper towels.
- 3
  
  Lay the eggplant on the cutting board. Position it horizontally. Brace the wide end of the eggplant with one hand.
- 4
  
  Hold a chef's knife perpendicular to the eggplant. Slice down through the top of the plant, just beneath the stem or leafy cap. Trim about 1/2-inch off the eggplant, not including the stem or cap.
- 5
  
  Turn the eggplant 90 degrees. Brace the narrow end of the eggplant with your hand. Slice through the bottom of the eggplant to trim 1/2-inch off the end.
- 6
  
  Position the knife 1/2- to 3/4-inch away from he trimmed end of the eggplant. Cut down to make a thick, round slice. Continue slicing the eggplant into round pieces of the same width.
- 7
  
  Lay one eggplant slice on its broad side. Hold the chef's knife vertically over the eggplant.
- 8
  
  Slice down in the center of the eggplant and cut it vertically into halves. Make another vertical cut on each side of the first cut. Space the cuts evenly, about 1/2- to 3/4-inch apart. You should have four columns of eggplant.
- 9
  
  Turn all four columns 90 degrees so that the cuts look horizontal. Repeat the three evenly-spaced vertical cuts to turn the four columns into 16 cubes.
- 10
  
  Repeat the cubing process for each slice. Small slices of eggplant might require fewer than six cuts. Keep all of the cubes, from every slice, similar in size so that they cook uniformly.

Tips & Warnings

Use a stainless steel knife to cut the eggplant instead of a carbon knife, which can discolor eggplant flesh.
Stop cutting the vegetable after you slice it if you want larger portions.
Eggplant requires a lot of cook time compared to other vegetables. Undercooked eggplant is chewy. However, well-cooked eggplant is tender, almost like squash.