This light and colorful side dish features simply grilled vegetables—eggplant, zucchini, king oyster mushrooms, onion, and bell peppers—finished with a tangy soy-lemon sauce and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s the kind of dish Korean home cooks make when they want something fresh and low-calorie on the table, especially alongside heavier grilled meats or as part of a diet-friendly meal.
The vegetables are cut into thin, uniform strips so they cook quickly and evenly on a hot grill pan, picking up a nice char without turning mushy. The sauce, made from low-sodium soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and fresh lemon juice, adds brightness that balances the smoky vegetables perfectly.
It’s an easy weeknight side, naturally vegan and gluten-free (with tamari), and a great way to use up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.
Ingredients
- Eggplant 20g (3cm piece)
- Zucchini 50g (1/3 zucchini)
- King oyster mushrooms 15g (3 pieces)
- Onion 15g (1/8 onion)
- Balsamic glaze (crema) 15g (1 tablespoon)
- Red bell pepper 3g (3×1cm piece)
- Yellow bell pepper 3g (3×1cm piece)
- Green bell pepper 3g (3×1cm piece)
- Olive oil, a small amount
- Low-sodium soy sauce 5g (1 teaspoon)
- Vinegar 15g (1 tablespoon)
- Sugar 10g (1 tablespoon)
- Lemon juice 5g (1 teaspoon)
Instructions
- Mix the low-sodium soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar together to make the soy-lemon sauce.
- Cut the zucchini, eggplant, and king oyster mushrooms into 3cm lengths, then slice them into thin strips; cut the onion, bell peppers, and green pepper into pieces the same length as the zucchini.
- Coat the eggplant, zucchini, king oyster mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, and green pepper with olive oil, grill on a heated grill pan, then arrange on a plate, drizzle with balsamic glaze, and serve with the soy-lemon sauce on the side.
Tips & Variations
Ingredient notes:
- King oyster mushrooms (saesongi beoseot) can be found at most Korean or Asian grocery stores; king trumpet mushrooms are the same thing. If unavailable, substitute portobello or regular button mushrooms.
- Balsamic crema/glaze is simply reduced, thickened balsamic vinegar—often sold ready-made, or you can simmer regular balsamic vinegar with a little sugar until syrupy.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make this dish gluten-free.
Cooking tips:
- Slice the vegetables thinly and evenly so they cook at the same rate on the grill.
- A ridged grill pan or outdoor grill works best for nice char marks, but a regular skillet will also work in a pinch.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan—grill in batches if needed so the vegetables sear rather than steam.
Nutrition
- Calories: 175 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 9 g
- Sodium: 38 mg