Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce (VIDEO)
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!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Chinese Eggplant about 3 medium eggplant
- 2 tbsp neutral oil avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp MSG optional
- 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 over medium high heat 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 to a large nonstick pan and saute garlic and ginger. Add in the eggplant and stir fry for 2-4 minutes until they are golden brown on both sides.
- Add the premixed sauce, then stir to coat the eggplant for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glaze. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Chinese Eggplant Tips - It's also sometimes called Asian Eggplant and is smaller and longer than regular eggplant. It's thin skin and mild flavor (due to having less seeds, which is what causes regular 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 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.
Cut eggplant into 1/2" thick pieces about 3-4 inches long; they should be uniform so they cook evenly. The goal here is to cut the eggplant thick enough to withhold the steaming process and still be firm and meaty.
Success is in the Prep - Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce comes together extremely quickly once you start cooking. 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. The eggplant will continue to soften as it sits - this is normal. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 755mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 0.4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.4mg
