Chinese eggplant easy recipe-How to cook (taste better than meat)

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: tamari

💰Cheaper: salt + water

Tamari is gluten-free, while salt + water is a basic substitute.

vegetable oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil is healthier, while canola is often cheaper.

cornstarch

🥗Healthier: arrowroot powder

💰Cheaper: flour

Arrowroot is a healthier thickener, while flour is a more common pantry item.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey is a natural sweetener, while brown sugar is often less expensive.

Cut the eggplant into slices.

Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt to the eggplant and mix well with clean hands.

Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the salt to draw out moisture and preserve color.

Crush the garlic and coarsely chop the ginger into small pieces.

Cut the scallion into 3 to 4 cm lengths.

Use scissors to cut the dry chili into short strips.

Optionally coarsely grind Szechuan peppercorn with a mortar and pestle.

Prepare the gravy by mixing oyster sauce, light soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch, and 3 tablespoons of water.

Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels after the 15 minutes.

Transfer the eggplant to a large container and add 60 grams of potato starch or cornstarch in thirds, mixing well after each addition.

Place the eggplant into hot oil one by one to deep-fry in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn color.

Remove the eggplant and drain.

Add some oil into the wok and sauté the garlic and ginger until aromatic.

Add the scallion, dry chili, and Szechuan peppercorn to the wok.

Pour in the prepared gravy and return the eggplants to the wok for a flash fry, mixing for 10 seconds.

Turn up the heat, dish out, and serve, sprinkling with scallion and chopped chili.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens