Chinese eggplant in garlic sauce
Chinese eggplant in garlic sauce combines soft flesh with tangy, sweet heat. Steaming the eggplant first reduces the amount of oil it absorbs in the pan.
How to make it
Prepared 0 of 6 steps
Cut the eggplant into batons
Wash the eggplants and slice them into strips about 5-6 cm long and 2 cm thick. Leave the skin on. Finely chop the garlic, ginger, and white part of the green onion; reserve the green part.
Steam the buns
Steam the eggplant over boiling water for 7–9 minutes, until softened but still holding its shape. Transfer to a rack and allow condensation to drain off before frying.
Mix the sauce
Mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, cornflour and 150 ml cold water thoroughly. Keep the doubanjiang separate, as it needs to be fried in oil first.
Release the aroma
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add dou banjiang and stir for 40 seconds on medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and white part of green onion; cook for another 30 seconds without letting them turn black.
Combine with the eggplants
Add the steamed eggplant slices and gently stir-fry a few times. Pour in the well-mixed sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, spreading the sauce evenly over all the vegetable pieces with a spatula.
Thicken the sauce
Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce becomes glossy and starts to coat the strips. Add the green part of the onion. Check the flesh: it should give easily with a fork, without an undercooked, firm center.
Little hint
Drain the eggplant well after steaming to avoid adding excess water to the sauce. Doubanjiang is already salty, so extra salt is usually unnecessary; taste the finished sauce first.
Frequently asked questions
What should I watch out for when cooking?
Drain the eggplant well after steaming to avoid adding excess water to the sauce. Doubanjiang is already salty, so extra salt is usually unnecessary; taste the finished sauce first.
How should I prepare the ingredients?
Wash the eggplants and slice them into strips about 5-6 cm long and 2 cm thick. Leave the skin on. Finely chop the garlic, ginger, and white part of the green onion; reserve the green part.
