China · Appetizers and Sandwiches · Vegetarian
Chinese Braised Eggplant
Silky Chinese braised eggplant in a glossy sweet-savory sauce with garlic, ginger and sesame. One of the great vegetarian dishes of Chinese cuisine — the eggplant absorbs every layer of flavor from the sauce.
15 min 160 kcal 4 serves Medium🌿Vegetarian🇨🇳China★★★★★4.7· 6 reviews
Ingredients
ServingsMetric
- 500 geggplant
- ½ tspsalt
- 2 tbspcornstarch or potato starch
- 4 tbspvegetable oil
- 2 tbspsoy sauce
- 1.5 tbsprice vinegar or apple vinegar
- 1.5 tspsugar
- 1 tbsptomato paste
- 1 tspsesame oil
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tspfresh ginger
- 1 tspcornstarch + 2 tbsp water
- 1 tspsesame seeds
- for garnishscallion
Method
- Cut the eggplant into batons or thick slices. Toss with salt and leave 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry and coat in cornstarch.
- Fry in hot oil over medium-high heat until golden and crisp, about 3–4 minutes. Work in batches — don't crowd the pan. Transfer to paper towel.
- Make the sauce: mix soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, tomato paste, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Dissolve the thickening cornstarch in 2 tbsp water separately.
- Heat the sauce in the pan, add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened and glossy. Add the fried eggplant and toss gently until every piece is coated.
- Plate, scatter sesame seeds and spring onion on top. Serve hot or after 30 minutes in the fridge — both are excellent.
FAQ
Two things: salt the eggplant first to draw out moisture, and coat in starch before frying. The starch creates a barrier that seals the surface. Also make sure the oil is properly hot before adding the eggplant.
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Comments (1)
I cut everything for chinese braised eggplant to bite size — nothing that requires a knife or causes an awkward moment. Appetizers should be effortless to eat so the conversation stays uninterrupted.