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Brian Sunter

Sichuan-Style Fish-Fragrant Eggplant

Stir-fried eggplant with chiles, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and optional minced pork in a fish-fragrant sauce.

35 min 4 servings
main chinese sichuan eggplant stir-fry vegan-optional
Scale
Units

Ingredients

  • 0.50 cup kosher salt
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 pound Chinese eggplant
  • 3 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp Chinkiang vinegar
  • 2 tsp pickling liquid from pickled chiles
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp chicken stock
  • — kosher salt
  • — MSG
  • 0.25 cup peanut oil
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 2 tbsp garlic
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger
  • 1 tbsp Sichuan chile broad bean paste
  • 2 scallions scallion whites and pale greens
  • 1 tsp pickled chiles
  • 2 scallions scallion dark greens
  • — fresh cilantro

Equipment

  • bowl
  • salad spinner
  • wok
  • serving bowl

About

Eggplant needs to be brined before stir-frying to break down its structure and prevent it from absorbing excess moisture. Shallow-frying in the wok produces great browning with less oil than deep-frying.

Instructions

Brine the Eggplant

1

Combine 0.50 cup kosher salt with 2 quarts water in a medium bowl . Add 1 pound Chinese eggplant , cut for stir-fries. Cover with a clean paper towel, press down to soak the paper towel in brine, and set aside to soak 10 minutes to 20 minutes .

2

Drain the eggplant and spin in a salad spinner or blot dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to a bowl , sprinkle with 2 tsp cornstarch , and toss with your fingertips until lightly coated. Set aside.

Make the Sauce

3

Combine 2 tsp Chinkiang vinegar , 2 tsp pickling liquid from pickled chiles , 2 tsp light soy sauce , 1 tsp dark soy sauce , 1 tbsp sugar , 2 tbsp chicken stock , a pinch of kosher salt , and a pinch of MSG (optional), along with 1 tsp cornstarch in a small bowl and mix with a fork until no lumps remain. Set aside.

Before You Stir-Fry, Get Your Bowls Ready

4

a. Brined eggplant b. Ground pork (if using) c. Garlic, ginger, chile broad bean paste, scallions, and pickled chiles (if using) d. Sauce e. Empty bowl for cooked ingredients f. Serving platter

Stir-Fry

5

Heat a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 0.25 cup peanut oil and swirl to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the eggplant and spread into a single layer. Cook, turning the eggplant occasionally, until softened and well browned on all sides, about 4 minutes . Transfer the eggplant to an empty bowl and set aside.

6

Return the wok to high heat until lightly smoking. Add the remaining 2 tbsp peanut oil and swirl to coat. Add 2 tbsp garlic minced, 2 tsp fresh ginger minced, 1 tbsp Sichuan chile broad bean paste , 2 scallions scallion whites and pale greens cut into 1-inch segments, and 1 tsp pickled chiles minced (optional) and stir-fry until fragrant and the oil has become dark red from the bean paste, about 30 seconds .

7

Stir the sauce and add it to the wok by swirling it around the sides. Stir-fry until the sauce is thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds .

Finish and Serve

8

Return the eggplant to the wok and toss to coat in the sauce. If the sauce overthickens and becomes gloppy, thin it out with a splash of water.

9

Transfer to a serving bowl , garnish with 2 scallions scallion dark greens thinly sliced and fresh cilantro chopped (optional), and serve.

View Cooklang Source
recipe.cook 
---
title: Sichuan-Style Fish-Fragrant Eggplant
description: "Stir-fried eggplant with chiles, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and optional minced pork in a fish-fragrant sauce."
servings: 4
time: 25 minutes
tags: [chinese, sichuan, eggplant, stir-fry, vegan-optional, main]
cuisine: Chinese
difficulty: intermediate
long_description: "Eggplant needs to be brined before stir-frying to break down its structure and prevent it from absorbing excess moisture. Shallow-frying in the wok produces great browning with less oil than deep-frying."
---

== Brine the Eggplant ==

Combine @kosher salt{0.5%cup} with @water{2%quarts} in a medium #bowl{}. Add @Chinese eggplant{1%pound}, cut for stir-fries. Cover with a clean paper towel, press down to soak the paper towel in brine, and set aside to soak ~{10%minutes} to ~{20%minutes}.

Drain the eggplant and spin in a #salad spinner{} or blot dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to a #bowl{}, sprinkle with @cornstarch{2%tsp}, and toss with your fingertips until lightly coated. Set aside.

== Make the Sauce ==

Combine @Chinkiang vinegar{2%tsp}, @pickling liquid from pickled chiles{2%tsp}, @light soy sauce{2%tsp}, @dark soy sauce{1%tsp}, @sugar{1%tbsp}, @chicken stock{2%tbsp}, a pinch of @kosher salt{}, and a pinch of @MSG{} (optional), along with @cornstarch{1%tsp} in a small #bowl{} and mix with a fork until no lumps remain. Set aside.

> If you prefer a milder version, omit the pickled chiles and use distilled white vinegar in place of the pickling liquid.

== Before You Stir-Fry, Get Your Bowls Ready ==

a. Brined eggplant
b. Ground pork (if using)
c. Garlic, ginger, chile broad bean paste, scallions, and pickled chiles (if using)
d. Sauce
e. Empty bowl for cooked ingredients
f. Serving platter

== Stir-Fry ==

Heat a #wok{} over high heat until lightly smoking. Add @peanut oil{0.25%cup} and swirl to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the eggplant and spread into a single layer. Cook, turning the eggplant occasionally, until softened and well browned on all sides, about ~{4%minutes}. Transfer the eggplant to an empty bowl and set aside.

Return the #wok{} to high heat until lightly smoking. Add the remaining @peanut oil{2%tbsp} and swirl to coat. Add @garlic{2%tbsp} minced, @fresh ginger{2%tsp} minced, @Sichuan chile broad bean paste{1%tbsp}, @scallion whites and pale greens{2%scallions} cut into 1-inch segments, and @pickled chiles{1%tsp} minced (optional) and stir-fry until fragrant and the oil has become dark red from the bean paste, about ~{30%seconds}.

Stir the sauce and add it to the wok by swirling it around the sides. Stir-fry until the sauce is thickened and glossy, about ~{15%seconds}.

== Finish and Serve ==

Return the eggplant to the #wok{} and toss to coat in the sauce. If the sauce overthickens and becomes gloppy, thin it out with a splash of water.

Transfer to a #serving bowl{}, garnish with @scallion dark greens{2%scallions} thinly sliced and @fresh cilantro{} chopped (optional), and serve.

> The ground pork is optional. Omit it to make the dish entirely vegan.