the no-salting shortcut for Korean grilled eggplant

Every eggplant hater I know says the same thing: slimy. This version fixes that and skips the boring part. Traditional gaji-gui (가지구이) means salting the eggplant first, waiting, squeezing out the water, seasoning it, then grilling. The shortcut: slice, dust with flour, pan-fry, and pour the sauce straight into the pan. No salting, no squeezing. The flour gives the strips a light crispy coat and makes the sauce actually stick, and because you never squeeze it, the inside stays soft and juicy. It ends up sweet and smoky, a bit like marinated grilled meat. Start to finish it's under 10 minutes.

For 2 to 4 people: 2 medium eggplants (about 400 g), 1/4 cup flour, about 1/4 cup oil. Sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp mirim, 1 tbsp gochugaru, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3 chopped green onions, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp sesame seeds. 1. Cut the eggplants lengthwise into strips about 1/4 inch thick and toss them with the flour. 2. Mix everything for the sauce in a small bowl. 3. Fry the strips in a little oil over medium heat, about 2 minutes, until the bottoms are light brown. Flip and brown the other side. 4. Spoon the sauce over them, flip, and cook just 30 seconds to a minute so it soaks in. 5. Plate seasoned side up, sprinkle with sesame seeds, eat with rice. Works with regular grocery store eggplant or the long Korean kind. If your friend still says slimy after this, the problem is your friend.