On Chinese restaurant menus, this is often called eggplant with hot garlic sauce but its literal name is fish fragrance eggplant -- yu xiang qiezi. See Notes for tips, such as making a vegan take. This recipe was adapted from Bill, Judy, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung’s The Woks of Life (Potter, 2022).
Servings: 4
Ingredients
⅛teaspoonground white pepper
1tablespooncornstarch
1tablespoonsugar
½teaspoondark soy sauce(see Note for substitute)
1tablespoonregular soy sauce
1tablespoonunseasoned rice vinegar
1tablespoonShaoxing rice wine(see Notes for substitutes)
1 ½tablespoonsoyster sauce, standard or vegetarian
½cupwater
1teaspoontoasted sesame oil
2tablespoonsminced garlic
1poundChinese eggplant(2 large or 3 medium)
4 to 6tablespoonsneutral oil,such as canola or peanut
4ouncesground pork or chicken
2teaspoonsminced peeled fresh ginger
3dried Japones or Arbol chiles,stemmed, seeded and snipped into small pieces
2green onions,white and green parts chopped
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the white pepper, cornstarch, sugar, dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, vinegar, and rice wine. Stir to dissolve the solids. Stir in the oyster sauce, water, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon garlic. Set the seasoning sauce aside.
Peel off the stem flaps from the eggplants then trim the ends. Cut each eggplant on an angle, rotating it with each cut to yield triangular bite-size chunks.
Heat a large wok (or skillet) over medium-high heat until hot. Pour in 1 ½ tablespoons oil around the perimeter to evenly coat. Working in batches as needed, add the eggplant in a single layer, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping and stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is lightly browned. Pour another 1 tablespoon oil around the perimeter and continue cooking as a single layer for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until evenly seared, soft and slightly translucent. Transfer to a plate. As needed, repeat the frying to cook any remaining raw eggplant.
Increase the heat to high and add 1 ½ tablespoons oil to the wok. Add the pork and cook until opaque, breaking it up into small bits as you go. Add the ginger, dried chiles, and remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the aromatics are fragrant.
Put the eggplant back into the wok and stir-fry until combined. Re-stir the seasoning sauce then add to the wok. Mix well and bring to a simmer, cooking until the sauce is just thick enough to coat as spoon. Stir in the green onion, then remove from the heat. Transfer to a serving dish or shallow bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredients: No dark soy sauce? Use regular soy. The dark soy sauce adds rich color but you’ll be ok if you don’t have it.If you need and assist, check out my Shaoxing Rice Wine Buying and Substitution Guide.Timing: Fry the eggplant hours or a day in advance, refrigerate if keeping overnight. Always return the eggplant to room temperature to finish cooking with the pork and sauce.Equipment: Instead of a wok, cook in a large (12-inch) skillet to fry the eggplant in 1 batch. Before adding the sauce, lower the heat to medium-high to slow cooking down.Variation: For a vegan take, substitute 6 ounces coarsely chopped fresh mushroom (white, cremini or shiitake) for the pork. Season it with a little salt or splash of soy sauce while you cook it.