Chinese Cookbook: Learn How to Make Chinese Spicy Garlic Stir-Fried Eggplant

Chinese Cookbook: Learn How to Make Stir-Fried Spicy Garlic Eggplant

Nicole Bonnah | Mar 6, 2022 5:38 pm | Add a comment | 553 reads

Despite having "fish fragrance" in its name, there's no addition of fish whatsoever in stir-fried spicy garlic eggplant (鱼香茄子 yú xiāng qiézi). And while the dish's exact origins are hard to pin down but it is commonly accepted as a southern delicacy. As such, we decided to opt for a Sichuan-inspired version of this sweet and spicy eggplant medley. This wok-seared vegetable dish usually includes minced meat and a mixture of garlic, soy sauce, and ginger, for a gooey bowl of comforting and warming goodness.

Ingredients

1 cup minced pork
2 cups of chopped eggplant
1/3 cup minced garlic
1/3 cup minced ginger
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
4-5 chopped Sichuan chilies
2.5 tbsp Chinese yellow wine vinegar
2 tbsp Chinese dark vinegar
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 heaped tbsp Chinese spicy soybean paste
2 tsp salt
1 tsp corn flour
1/2 cup peanut oil

Instructions

Put the eggplant in a pan with tepid water and bring to the boil. Simmer for five to ten minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Add the cornflour, one teaspoon of soy sauce, one teaspoon of salt, and one teaspoon of Chinese yellow wine vinegar to the minced pork. Mix well and set aside.
In a bowl mix the dark vinegar, remaining soy sauce, and yellow wine vinegar, and sugar to make a sauce. Set aside.
Use a wok and heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat and add ginger. Stir-fry until soft and add the pork. Stir-fry for a further few minutes until the pork is sealed and brown.
Add the soybean paste, garlic and onion to the wok. Stir-fry for a few minutes and then add the eggplant and continue to stir-fry for a few minutes to combine all the ingredients. Add the sauce mixture.
Continue to stir-fry for a few minutes until aromatic. Dish out and garnish with fresh coriander. Serve steaming hot!