Sichuan-Style Braised Eggplant
Elevate your dinner table with this flavorful Asian Eggplant dish. Juicy eggplant pieces are stir-fried until golden brown and then simmered in a savory sauce with tender pork, creating a mouthwatering combination of textures and flavors. Topped with fresh green onions, this dish is sure to impress your taste buds with every bite.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 lb. Asian eggplant
- 1 Tbs. salt
- 3 Tbs. canola or peanut oil, plus more
- as needed
- 3⁄4 cup chicken stock
- 1 Tbs. chili bean paste
- 1 Tbs. black vinegar
- 1 Tbs. dark soy sauce
- 1 1⁄2 tsp. light soy sauce
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
- 1⁄2 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1⁄4 cup minced celery
- 1 tsp. grated or prepared horseradish
- 1⁄4 lb. ground pork
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Instructions
- Working with 1 eggplant at a time, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Place the eggplant pieces in a large bowl. Add cold water to cover and stir in the salt. Weight the eggplant pieces with a plate to keep them submerged. Soak for 30 minutes, drain and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a wok or large sauté pan over high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the canola oil until very hot. Working in 2 batches, add enough eggplant to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer and stir-fry until crisp and brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, adding more oil if needed. Set the pan aside without rinsing.
- To make the sauce, in a bowl, stir together the stock, chili bean paste, vinegar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, tomato paste, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Return the pan to high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Stir in the garlic, ginger, celery and horseradish and sauté until just golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pork and stir-fry until the meat just turns opaque, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in the eggplant, reduce the heat to low, cover and braise the eggplant until just tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for a few minutes more until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer the eggplant to a warmed serving bowl and garnish with the green onions. Serve immediately.
Comments
No comments found.