vegetables – In For The Food

Fried Eggplant – Chinese Style

Leave a Comment / Homemade takeout, Recipes / Andra

This is one of those recipes that you think it might be complicated, but it is not. And is so delicious and healthy. Usually eggplant can absorb a lot of oil, but I chose to just coat them lightly and then fry them in a dry pan. And they are still equally delicious.

I tried also coating them first in starch and then fry them, but it is not worth the hustle. They have the same taste as just fried with little oil. I also made the variant of using ground meat, and they are also good, but really, on they own, they are as good as any other variant.

I like eggplant a lot, and I use it in various forms, experimenting with cooking methods and recipes. I think they are highly underestimated as a main ingredient, and people feel a little shy on using them. I am here to encourage you to try to incorporate them in your cooking habits and you will not be sorry about it.

This recipe has a Chinese origin. I like authentic Chinese food and I like to explore its cuisine and experiment a little bit. The recipe calls for Black bean garlic sauce, which can be found in Asian supermarkets. But if you don’t have one near you, you can substitute with some more garlic than the recipe calls, and some oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. And if those are not available either, then add some more soy sauce and a bit of water and starch slurry, just a spoon or two. We want a creamy consistency to coat the eggplant pieces.

Enough talking about them, I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know if you liked it.

Fried Eggplant – Chinese Style

A very easy and delicious classic takeout food, perfect for a quick dinner or lunch, with some white rice on the side.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 2

Ingredients

2 eggplants 500g
oil
2 garlic cloves
a piece of ginger
1 scallion
salt
1 Tbsp. black bean garlic sauce or oyster sauce, or hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cooking wine optional
Sesame oil

Instructions

Cut the eggplant in finger length pieces. Drizzle some neutral oil to coat them lightly.
Mince garlic and ginger. Cut thinly the scallion.
Fry the eggplants in a dry pan, medium-high heat, turning them on all sides every 3 min, until they are soft and bendy. Set aside.
Heat the pan again, add some neutral oil and fry the garlic and the ginger until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the black bean garlic sauce, soy sauce, cooking wine. Stir for a few seconds.
Add the eggplant and coat everything with the sauce.
Add a little water if it looks too dry.
Add the scallion and sesame oil and serve.

Video

Keyword chinese food, eggplant, quick, savory, vegetables

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Vegetable Curry

Leave a Comment / One pot, Recipes / Andra

This recipe is a life saver in our home. I cook it often, when I have few of many vegetables left and don’t know what dish to make. And it usually solves the issue of having too little of one vegetable to make it as a main dish and not wanting to throw it away. I avoid as much throwing food away, I think it is a shame and we should do our best to use up everything we have.

The ingredients can be quite simple, but I do recommend having some staples in the pantry, like: rice, onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes, some sort of cabbage, cans of coconut milk, oil, dried or canned mushrooms, carrots and some spices, normal or exotic.

I made my on spice blend with what I have, but you can use a premade curry mix if you wish. If not, main ingredients would be fennel seeds or cumin seeds, cinnamon, turmeric (curcuma), maybe lemongrass, black pepper.