Name: Fish-Fragrant Eggplant
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 450 g Eggplant, cut into 6 cm batons; ½ tsp Salt, divided; 1½ tbsp Cornstarch, divided; ¼ cup Neutral Oil, divided; 1½ tbsp Doubanjiang, finely chopped if coarse; 4 clove Garlic, finely chopped; 1 inch Ginger, finely chopped; 3 Spring Onion Whites, finely sliced; 1 tbsp Soy Sauce; 1 tbsp Chinese Black Vinegar; 2 tsp Sugar; ½ cup Water; ½ tsp Sesame Oil; 3 Spring Onion Greens, finely sliced

35 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Spicy

Add to your week

Method

Sprinkle the eggplant with 1/4 teaspoon salt and leave it for 10 minutes. Pat it thoroughly dry, then toss it with 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
10 min
Mix the soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sugar, water, remaining salt, remaining cornstarch and sesame oil until smooth.
Heat 3 tablespoons neutral oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant in one layer and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, turning gently, until browned and tender. Transfer it to a plate.
7–9 min
Leave about 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add the doubanjiang and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant and the oil turns red.
30 sec
Add the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Stir the prepared sauce again, then pour it into the pan and simmer until it begins to thicken.
30 sec
Return the eggplant to the pan and toss gently for 1 to 2 minutes, until it is hot and evenly coated with the glossy sauce. Fold in the spring onion greens and serve.
1–2 min

How to tell it's done

The eggplant should be silky and tender while retaining its shape, and the sauce should be glossy and cling without forming a watery pool.

Getting it right

Tip

Dry the salted eggplant thoroughly before coating it with cornstarch. Surface moisture prevents browning and causes oil to splatter.

What to serve it with

Serve hot with plain steamed rice and a lightly seasoned green vegetable.

Common mistakes

The eggplant soaks up oil and turns heavy.: Salt it, pat it dry, dust lightly with cornstarch, and brown it in a hot pan before saucing. Wet eggplant absorbs oil faster than it browns.

Substitutions

Eggplant — Baby Eggplant may be used after cutting it into evenly sized pieces. Its firmer skin may require a few additional minutes of cooking.
Chinese Black Vinegar — Rice Vinegar may be used when Chinese black vinegar is unavailable, but the sauce will be lighter and less aromatic.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate fish-fragrant eggplant in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until hot; freezing is not recommended because the eggplant softens.

Sichuan Dry-Fried Green Beans

A vegan home-style version of Sichuan dry-fried green beans with blistered beans, doubanjiang, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns.

30 minvegan

Chinese Tomato Egg Stir-Fry

A comforting Chinese home-style stir-fry of soft scrambled eggs and juicy tomatoes in a light sweet-savoury sauce.

20 mineggetarian

Hakka Stuffed Tofu

Hakka Stuffed Tofu fills firm tofu with a savoury pork and shiitake mixture, then pan-sears and gently braises the pieces in a light soy sauce.

1 hr 15 minnon vegetarian

Mapo Tofu

A vegetarian Sichuan-style Mapo Tofu with silky tofu, doubanjiang, garlic, ginger and fragrant Sichuan peppercorns.

30 minvegetarian

Northeastern Three-Earthly-Treasures Stir-Fry

A Northeastern Chinese classic of potato, eggplant and green pepper in a glossy garlic-soy sauce.

40 minvegan

Guangxi Guilin Rice Noodles

Guangxi Guilin Rice Noodles layer tender rice noodles with aromatic braised pork, pickled mustard greens, bamboo shoots, roasted peanuts and a concentrated savoury sauce.

1 hr 35 minnon vegetarian

Ingredients