Chinese Eggplant In Hot Garlic Sauce Recipe

Use your pantry ingredients and dish out a simple vegan Chinese Yu Xiang Eggplant Recipe.

A spicy, garlicky and slightly sour-sweet dish. One amazing side dish, appetiser or main course with rice or Chapati is called the Chinese Yu Xiang Eggplant Recipe. There is not much sauce in the dish but it is really delicious.

How about pairing it with Vegetarian Wonton Soup and Vegan Bao(Gua)Buns with this yummy mushroom stir-fry on the side?

The Event:

Now for Foodie Monday Bloghop  Sasmita suggested themes but the one that won with the maximum votes was for #262Bitter, but Good. There was a need for something different, especially after the sweets everyone had consumed during Ganesh Chaturthi. Bitter foods are recommended in Ayurveda as a part of a complete meal. Bitter foods are better for boosting metabolism and are supposed to be cleansing.

Sasmita, our hostess today blogs at One Timer Cook her pictures are stunning and so also the recipes.

Is Eggplant bitter?

For the theme, I decided to make bitter gourd,  but Kalyani shared a writeup which classified eggplant, aubergine or brinjal as a bitter vegetable. There is a saying in Hindi a drowning man clutches a twig! "Doobte hue to tinke ka sahara bahut hai! " 😀

Since I had the brinjal I decided to go ahead and use it. Now, Eggplant or Aubergine is not much enjoyed in my place by the girls. They may eat what in Konkani is called Kappa, fillets.

I made a stuffed Aubergine to discover I already had posted it. Ennaigai or Tumgai Palya too is done. Bharta too I have posted two. Now what! I wanted to post Kappa but almost all of them are similar so cancelled the idea.  Then I also have Muthai Ringan Tuver Shaak. I guess my blog is old now my first post dates 27/09/2008, 12 years this September!

A little about Fish Fragrant Eggplant

I almost wrote that I am not yet again participating when luckily I landed on this site with an amazing Chinese-style eggplant. Then again I found this site. The result you see here is adapted from both of these sites.

This dish is also called Chinese Yu Xiang Eggplant Recipe which means Fish Fragrant Eggplant. The reason being these eggplants are fried in the same oil used to fry fish. Do not worry I have no fish in my dish, which is pity according to the girls. In place of the fish, you can use tofu or paneer if you do not need it as a Vegan dish.

The aubergines in this  Sichuan Eggplant Recipe are deliciously meaty and because they are marinated in salt they taste amazing. Next time I am going to marinate them in ginger garlic and chilli paste that will heighten the taste!

The original recipe calls for pickled red pepper or Thai pepper. I did not have both so I have used 2 green chillies finely minced with ginger and garlic. I have shallow fried my brinjal. You may deep fry them.  

Ingredients for Sichuan Eggplant Recipe:

• Eggplant: If you can find the long ones Use them. For some reason, I cannot get them in the local shops now and since I have not stepped in the local Municipal markets for some time now my regular haunts for these veggies have shrunk.
• Salt: Use salt to sprinkle on the aubergine.
• Garlic: Since I use the local variety of small garlic I need quite a bit. I took a heaping of 2 tbsp. Please adjust as per your taste.
• Ginger: I tablespoon of grated fresh ginger is enough.
• Chillies: I used fresh green chillies. You can use Thai red chillies.
• Soya Sauce: Any sauce of your liking. A light sauce will give your eggplant light colour. I have dark so I used it.
• Vinegar: I have used Apple Cider Vinegar, use rice vinegar if you can source it.
• Sugar: To balance the taste.
• Corn Flour: To thicken the gravy and to sprinkle on the brinjal.
• Oil: Depending on your method of cooking you will need oil. If you are deep frying you will need more oil. I have used about 2 tablespoon full.
• Onions: I have not used any but you can use spring onions. Keep the onions and greens separate. 

How to prepare Chinese Eggplant In Hot Garlic Sauce Recipe

• Salting the Brinjal: Cut the brinjal in strips and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle salt and mix well. Let this sit for at least 15 minutes. The maximum you can let them be is one hour. Drain the water in a colander and transfer back to the bowl. Add some cornflour and mix well.

• Frying the Brinjal: Immediately transfer to a heated wok/kadhai and drizzle oil. I prefer using groundnut oil or sunflower oil. You can use any oil you prefer. Fry till the sides become brown on medium flame. Transfer to the bowl and set aside. 

• Putting together Garlic Sauce and Chinese Yu Xiang Eggplant Recipe: In the same pan stir fry ginger, garlic and chilli minced. Add the onions if using. Add more oil only if you need. Most of the oil is in the pan. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for making the sauce in a bowl stir till the sugar dissolves.
• Add the fried eggplant once the garlic becomes a bit reddish brown. Stir in the sauce taking care to see that the cornflour has dissolved. Serve immediately garnished with sesame seeds and spring onion. 

Recipe Card for Chinese Yu Xiang Eggplant Recipe:

Chinese Eggplant In Hot Garlic Sauce Recipe

A  Simple vegan dish that is spicy, garlicky and slightly sour sweet. Simply Delicious!

5 from 10 votes

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Course: Appetizers-Starters, Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Aubergine Recipes

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 people

Calories: 204kcal

Author: ArchanaPotdar

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Equipment

• Knife and board
• Bowl
• Colander
• Frypan

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant big
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 2 tbsp. oil vegetable preffered

For Stir-Frying

• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoon soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon cornflour
• ½ cup water

Instructions

• Wash and cut eggplants into strips. add salt and let the brinjal marinate for around 15 minutes.
• Then drain in a brinjal in a colander. Heat the kadhai/wok.
• Once the water has drained, transfer the brinjal to the bowl and sprinkle it with cornflour.
• Immediately add to the heated wok drizzle the oil and cook the eggplant till it gets brown spots. Turn over and let the other side cook too, especially the skin. Transfer to a bowl.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl add the ingredients to make the sauce and set aside.
• In the same kadhai/wok add the minced garlic, ginger and chillies. Add onions if using. Stir fry till light brown.
• Add the eggplant and mix.
• Stir the sauce mix so that the cornflour is well dispersed then add to the wok. Mix well till the eggplant is well coated.
• Serve garnished with sesame seeds.

Disclaimer: Please note these are approximate nutrition figures. You are requested to confirm with a qualified Dietitian.

Other Bitter Foods:

• Sukto
• Karati Che Kismoor
• Soya Chunks Stuffed Karela
• Fresh Methi Dal Recipe

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