Szechwan-Style Eggplant

Amarante

Thu, Aug 08 2019, 10:21 am

One of my favorite side dishes when I am doing Asian/Chinese menu.

If I don't use Japanese eggplant which is more tender and sweeter than regular eggplant, I do take the chopped pieces - salt them well and then place in a colander with a weighted plate over the top and let the bitter liquid drain out. Don't forget to rinse the eggplant VERY WELL because otherwise it will be a salty disaster. Salting eggplant before cooking is really important for any eggplant dish - I also do it when I make eggplant Parm.

This can be made ahead - or at least prepped ahead since unlike other stir fry dishes, the eggplant isn't supposed to be al dente.

Szechwan-Style Eggplant
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Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil (umm... not in this lifetime! I used somewhere between a tsp and a tablespoon of oil and topped it off with cooking spray)
1 1/4 lb eggplant (peeled) cut into 1/2 inch cubes - about 6 cups)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger root
2-3 teaspoons Szechwan chili paste - Srichacha is a good sub
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Sherry
3 scallions sliced thin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar packed
1 red bell pepper minced (or chopped in small chunks)
1/2 teaspoon oriental sesame oil to taste

Directions:

In wok or large skillet heat the veg. oil over high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Stir-fry eggplant over moderately high heat for 3-5 minutes or until tender and browned. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain.

In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the broth. To the wok add the garlic, the ginger root, the Chile paste, the hoisin sauce, the vinegar, and the sherry and stirfry mixture for 30 seconds. Add scallions and stir fry for 30 seconds.

Add soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch mixture (stirred), the bell pepper and the eggplant and stir fry for 1 minute until eggplant absorbs most liquid. Remove wok from heat, add sesame oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss mixture well.

Notes:

Mise en place is key. Putting all the sauces in little bowls is such a time saver as actual cooking time is very small.

Last edited by Amarante on Thu, Aug 08 2019, 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total

Amarante

Thu, Aug 08 2019, 11:00 am

aliavi wrote:

It’s a sweet type of sauce not like ketchup. I was hoping to cheat and take it easy without anyone noticing. It’s a good day for an ice cream.

I am familiar with that type of sauce and it wouldn't work at all. By comparing it to ketchup, I meant that I use it in the same way I would use ketchup - as a condiment or dipping sauce. It's so unlike any of the ingredients that I wanted to make sure you were asking about the same kind of sauce as I don't know how that could possibly be a sub.

Are you trying to avoid heating up the kitchen by not cooking anything.