Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce – Restaurant Style! (VIDEO)
Sep 28, 2022, Updated Apr 19, 2024
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Restaurant style Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce is so flavorful and delicious – it’s gently steamed, then lightly sauteed and tossed with with an umami-rich garlic sauce! It’s one of my favorite ways to eat eggplant, and this vegetarian dish is perfect as a side or served with rice for a more filling main course!
Watch the Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce Recipe Video!
Table of Contents
Chinese Eggplant Tips
The star of this dish is the Chinese eggplant – have you ever heard of it? It’s also sometimes called Asian Eggplant. It is smaller and longer than American Eggplant. It’s thin skin and mild flavor (due to having less seeds, which is what causes American Eggplant to taste bitter) is perfect for stir-frying, sauteing, and grilling.
I’ve been able to find Chinese or Asian Eggplant at many different Asian grocery stores. It may not be labeled as “Chinese” eggplant but you’ll know it’s the right one because it’ll be smaller and longer.
How to pick the best Chinese/Asian Eggplant:
- Try to pick one that is roughly same in size – I prefer the smaller/thinner ones, as I find them to be even less bitter.
- The skin should be bright and shiny, with no bruises or brown spots.
- The eggplant should be bendable but firm.
Recipe Instructions
1. Steam the Eggplant
The first step is to cut the eggplant to steam it – the pieces need to be thick enough to withstand steaming and still be firm and meaty. Cut eggplant into 1/2″ thick pieces about 3-4 inches long – they should be uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
Next, place the eggplant into a steamer basket and cover. Steam for 10-12 minutes until the eggplant is soft but still pliable. It should hold up and not break apart when you hold a piece. Remove from the steamer and dry with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture.
2. Make the Sauce and Saute the Eggplant
Next, mix the Garlic Sauce by combining chicken stock, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, msg, and cornstarch. I always like to premix my sauce to have it ready to go during the fast cooking process.
Now that your eggplant is steamed and patted dry to remove excess moisture and your sauce is mixed, chop garlic and ginger and set them together next to your pan. I like to have my ingredients ready to go because the cooking process can be quick here!
In 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium high heat, sauté your garlic and ginger for 30 seconds followed by the eggplant. Sauté for 2 minutes to give them color, flipping them halfway to evenly brown.
3. Add the Sauce and Serve!
Once the eggplant is sautéed, immediately add your sauce and stir to combine. The cornstarch in the sauce will help it thicken up and turn into a beautiful garlicky glaze. Continue cooking over medium high heat until the sauce has reduce and the eggplant is ready to serve!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips + Storage
How to Pick an Eggplant
- Try to pick one that is roughly same in size – I prefer the smaller/thinner ones, as I find them to be even less bitter.
- The skin should be bright and shiny, with no bruises or brown spots.
- The eggplant should be bendable but firm.
Cutting Tips
- Cut your eggplant into 1/2″ thick pieces about 3-4 inches long.
- The goal here is to cut the eggplant thick enough to withhold the steaming process and still be firm and meaty.
- Cut the eggplant into uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
Premix Your Sauce – The cooking process for the Garlic Sauce is FAST so it’s a great idea to premix your sauce together, then add it straight into the pan! The corn starch will help thicken the sauce into that velvety texture that Chinese restaurants made so famous.
Success is in the Prep – Like most Chinese restaurant dishes, this recipe for Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce comes together extremely quickly once you start cooking. The key to pulling this recipe off successfully is having your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your premixed sauce and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.
Storage Tips – You can store Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What to Serve with Chinese Eggplant
I love eating Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce with some of my favorite classic Chinese restaurant dishes – try it with a bowl of fluffy Egg Fried Rice (make Chicken Fried Rice or Shrimp Fried Rice if you want to add a protein) and savory Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles!
Other Vegetable Sides
I think Chinese vegetable dishes are some of the best – they’re simple enough to let the flavors of the vegetables shine and usually comes with a perfectly paired sauce. Some of my favorites are my Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce, Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce, and Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad.
Readers LOVE my copycat recipes for the famous Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad, and garlicky and addictive Din Tai Fung Green Beans!
If you tried this Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Chinese Eggplant, about 3 eggplant
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp MSG, optional
- 1/4 cup high quality chicken stock
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
Instructions
- Cut eggplant at an angle into 1/2" thick pieces about 3-4 inches long.
- Place the eggplant in a steamer basket and steam for 10-12 minutes until under.
- In a small bowl, mix together chicken stock, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, msg, chicken stock, and corn starch. Chop garlic and mince ginger and set aside.
- Once the eggplant is steamed, place them on a paper towel and pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
- Over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp of netural oil and saute garlic and ginger. Add in eggplant and stir fry for 2 minutes until they take on a golden brown color.
- Add the premixed sauce, then stir to coat the eggplant for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glaze. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
All my fam loves this!
I grow up with this recipe and i love it so much.
@knock.knock2299
I grew up with this recipe and love it so much.
@knock.knoc2299
Thank you for this recipe, it’s a must for us at dim sum. How would you do stuffed eggplant? 😅
Never liked eggplants, but this is delicious. Even my kids enjoyed it
Impressive flavors.
Eggplant wasn’t a food I enjoyed much when I was younger but I’ve grown to love it more and more, especially when it’s cooked with garlicky sauce. This recipe never gets old and so comforting to eat with rice.
one of my favorite vegetables to eat and I love eating it this way. Amazing sauce that pairs well with the eggplant.
So delicious!! I have made Chinese eggplant in the past but this one is wayy better! I like the method of steaming it in advance. This is my new go to recipe!