Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

5 from 10 votes

Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

This Chinese Eggplant with garlic sauce is super flavorful and comes together in minutes! It's an amazing way to enjoy this versatile vegetable as a side dish or main dish!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

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

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.

Nutrition