Braised Chinese Eggplant

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

• Tender and packed with umami. This Chinese eggplant is buttery, juicy, and coated with a sweet and salty garlicky sauce. It’s the ultimate eggplant side dish and one of my favorites!
• Just 7 ingredients. You will only need eggplants, garlic, shallots, and some basic pantry staples to make this delectable dish.
• Customizable. You can easily add chopped or scrambled tofu/tempeh, diced mushrooms, or vegan ground meat if you want to add texture to this dish.

🇨🇳 What Is Chinese Eggplant

Chinese eggplant, also known as “Pingtung Long” is a variety of eggplant that is usually 6-10 inches long (15-25cm) and has smooth skin and a vibrant purple color. It contains fewer seeds and a thinner skin compared to Western eggplant varieties.

🍆 Ingredient Notes

Here are the ingredients you will need to prepare this stew:

• Chinese eggplant – This type of eggplant can be found in most Asian supermarkets. Look for long, thin, and purple eggplants.
• Shallot and garlic – You will need to use fresh garlic in this recipe, do not use garlic powder.
• Green onions – Also called scallions. You can use Chinese chives if you want a more garlicky and herby aroma.
• Soy sauce – Use regular Japanese soy sauce, or coconut aminos if you want to make this recipe gluten-free.
• Sugar – I went with granulated sugar, but light brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup will work.
• Black pepper – For a pungent and earthy aroma. I recommend using whole black peppers and grinding them just before using for the best flavor.

🥣 How to Make It

This recipe is super easy to make but requires some preparation. First, you want to soak the eggplants for about 15 minutes. This will allow the eggplants to absorb less oil during the frying step. Once that is done, deep-fry them for a couple of minutes, and finally, cook them in the sauce. Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Soak the eggplant

1. Slice and soak the eggplants. Slice the eggplants into 2.5-inch pieces and slice each piece into quarters lengthwise. Transfer to a bowl and cover with water. Add 1/4 tsp of salt and let the eggplants soak for about 15 minutes.
2. Drain them. Drain the eggplants and rinse them under cold water. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper towels and pat them dry.

2. Fry the eggplant

1. Deep-fry. Heat 3/4 cup of frying oil in a deep saucepan. Once hot, carefully add the eggplant and fry for 1-3 minutes or until tender. Do not over-fry them, or they will lose their vibrant green color.
2. Transfer to a plate. Line a plate with kitchen paper towels and transfer the fried eggplants to remove the excess oil. Since eggplants tend to absorb a lot of oil, I recommend patting them a bit with another layer of paper towels to remove more oil.

Note: if you want to make this recipe healthier, you have two options. You can either steam the eggplant for about 10 minutes or brush it with oil and air-fry it for about 8 minutes at 350°F (175°C).

3. Simmer

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat some oil in a saucepan or clay pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced shallot and garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Next, add the green onions and sauté for 1 more minute.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Add the soy sauce, sugar, water, ground black pepper, and eggplants.
3. Let simmer. Finally, cover the pot with a lid and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

🍚 What to Serve It With

This eggplant side dish is best served on top of steamed white rice, but you could also serve it with quinoa, buckwheat, or noodles.

💬 FAQ