8Aug/0911
Authentic Chinese Eggplant Recipe
Ever wondered how they made egg plant in restaurants? Well here is the secret. I make my version a bit healthier (using less oil, salt, soy sauce, sugar) but you can always put more than I did for the full blast of flavor. I am more interested in enjoying the egg plant dish with "half" the flavor but relish in the fact it is easy to fit into the macros. I will comment randomly on how to bring out the full flavor.
Ingredients
- 2-4 Eggplants (Depending on how much you want to make and how thick they are. Go with the skinner ones with unblemished skins, make sure they are FIRM to the touch)
- Two Pieces of Ginger (Each about the size of a chicken wing)
- Sprinkle of Soy Sauce (Extra dark variety for coloring)
- Dash of Salt
- Dash of Sugar
- Multiple TBSP of Olive Oil
Steps
- Throw some olive oil into the pan, the more you use, the BETTER it will taste. Chinese restaurants use a lot, I personally just covered the bottom of the skillet.
- Cut 2 wing sized pieces of ginger and throw it into the skillet while it is warming up. This is where all the flavor in the egg plant comes from. You do not eat the ginger.
- Wash your eggplant.
- First cut off the eggplant's head (part with the stem).
- Cut the eggplants diagonally, a tip is to keep it fairly thin so it cooks faster. Think potato wedges.
- If you are cutting it right, it will feel like you are cutting it into a pencil.
- Throw everything into a bowl, no need to wash the insides.
- Next throw all this onto your skillet. Stir occasionally every few minutes until the egg plants starts turning soft and mushy (about 8-10 minutes + depending on cut and amount)
- Here is a picture of it when it is soft and mushy.
- When it is mushy, throw some soy sauce onto it. Then add dashes of salt and sugar until it is to your liking. Do not put more than a small spoonful of sugar on it.
- If it looks too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time. In the end there should be NO liquid on the bottom of the skillet.
- Enjoy!
August 21st, 2009 - 19:13
mmreinhart@comcast.net
July 23rd, 2011 - 06:18
Hi: I like the recipe and the photos are great…very helpful. But they get in the way of printing out the directions unless you want to print out the photos too. Would prefer something that allows just for the text to be copied. But thanks.
August 19th, 2011 - 11:12
I like your style!
August 19th, 2011 - 12:45
Joe, if you are using Microsoft Word, you can copy the text and the pictures and then do a right click and choose paste text only.
November 27th, 2011 - 17:29
I always thought this recipe required garlic.
Do you ever use it?
Also I’ve eaten it in Chinese restaurants with a little green peppers cooked into it.
Do you ever use that?
JFM
November 27th, 2011 - 17:52
This recipe is just the base. Typically you season the oil with garlic before you cook with many Chinese vegetables. I would definitely suggest that if you want some extra flavor. I’ve never had it with green peppers but I’m sure you can experiment.
I would think the soft egg plant and the crunchy green pepper would clash.
February 29th, 2012 - 20:48
This is one of the best and tastiest dishes that I’ve ever found online. It’s so quick and simple but has a great flavor…that ginger does it! I cut it just the way you did it and it was perfect.
April 3rd, 2012 - 10:35
We use the same dishes!
This looks quick and easy as is usually the case with Chinese cooking. Thanks for taking the time to add tips. We, too, are looking for ways to enjoy a dish with a healthier flair.
April 16th, 2012 - 14:35
Best aubergine ever
April 23rd, 2012 - 05:05
Quick q- do you remove the ginger at some point? Or will it cook with the eggplant until served?
Thanks!
April 28th, 2012 - 09:49
You can leave it in, but if you have guests they might not know it. So take them out for guests.