Chinese Eggplant Recipe With Garlic Sauce
My Chinese Eggplant Stir Fry recipe makes restaurant-style Chinese Eggplant without deep-frying! The eggplant is lightly coated in cornstarch and pan-fried until crispy with a tender center before being tossed withe the glossy, sticky, sweet-savory garlic sauce. It's so easy to make!If you love Asian food, try also my Teriyaki Tofu Bowl, Chinese Scallion Pancakes, and Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls!
Ingredients
For The Eggplants
- 2 Chinese eggplants (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsp (20 g) cornstarch
- 2 tbsp (25 ml) peanut oil (or vegetable, canola, sunflower oil)
For The Sticky Sauce
- 1 tbsp (10 ml) peanut oil (or vegetable, canola, sunflower oil)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 2 and 1/2 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
- 2 and 1/2 tbsp (35 ml) rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 2 tbsp (25 g) brown sugar (or white granulated sugar)
- 1 tbsp (10 g) cornstarch
Instructions
- Salt the eggplants. Place the chopped eggplants in a colander, sprinkle with salt and allow to rest for 15 minutes to draw out the excess moisture for a crispier outer layer. Once done, blot them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels until they're dry to the touch.
- Coat the eggplants. In a large shallow bowl, add the cornstarch and eggplants, and toss until each piece of eggplants is evenly coated with a thin layer of cornstarch.
- Cook the eggplants. In a large non-stick skillet over high heat, add the peanut oil and heat until hot. Add in the eggplants making sure they’re sitting in a single layer without overlapping so they pan-fry instead of steaming. Cook until all sides are crispy, flipping as needed (6-8 minutes). Remove from the skillet and transfer to a clean plate.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, add the water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Mix until combined and the cornstarch has dissolved completely. Set aside.
- Saute the garlic and ginger. In the same skillet over medium heat, add more oil and heat until hot. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until soft and fragrant, stirring frequently. Do not allow the garlic to brown, lower the heat if needed.
- Assemble the dish. Add the eggplants back into the skillet with the garlic and ginger, give another quick mix to the sauce and then pour it into the skillet with the garlic and ginger. Set the heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened into a maple syrup-like consistency (it cooks very quickly, 1-2 minutes are usually enough). Serve immediately.If you want maximum crispiness, cook the sauce with the garlic and ginger until thickened and then toss in the eggplants until coated and serve immediately.
Notes
Shake off excess cornstarch, you want just enough to evenly coates each piece for a crispy outer layer, too much cornstarch can make the outer layer so heavy that it falls off.
Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, in a single layer, to maintain the pan temperature and allow the eggplant to crisp up rather than steam.
Make sure the eggplant is dried well before coating. If it's wet, the cornstarch will turn into a paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 7gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 3597mgPotassium: 1136mgFiber: 14gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 106IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @DamnSpicyyy on Instagram & hashtag it #itsdamnspicy!
