Chinese Braised Eggplant

Chinese Braised Eggplant is a dish with a long history, made primarily from eggplant. It's a traditional delicacy known for its fragrant aroma, crispy exterior, tender interior, and juicy flavor. Eggplant, being high in nutrition, is rich in vitamins and trace elements, making it especially good for your health.

5 Reviews
5 Comments
POSTED:24/05/2024
Level:Easy
Yield:1-2 servings
Total:25 min
(includes chilling time)
Active:10 min

Many people enjoy eating Chinese Braised Eggplant, but it requires some cooking tricks. Once you learn these tricks, it'll be easy to master! Let's learn together!


1、How to choose eggplant?

Choose fresh eggplants with smooth skin. It's best to select larger varieties for better texture.


2、How to prepare eggplant?

The way you handle eggplant directly affects its final texture. Firstly, wash fresh eggplants thoroughly, remove the stems, and then cut them into evenly sized chunks. If you prefer a softer texture, you can sprinkle some salt over the cut eggplants, let them sit for a while, then rinse with clean water, drain well, and set aside. This can effectively remove the bitterness of the eggplant and help it maintain its bright color.


3、How to control the oil temperature when stir-frying eggplant?

①When frying eggplant, the oil temperature should not be too high to prevent the surface from browning while the inside remains uncooked. Ensure both sides of the eggplant are evenly heated by flipping them multiple times until golden brown.

②After adding seasoning and water, simmer the eggplant over medium-low heat to allow it to absorb the flavors fully. Avoid cooking for too long to prevent the eggplant from becoming too soft and losing its texture.


I believe that once you've mastered these tips, you'll be able to quickly make an authentic Chinese Braised Eggplant dish. You can also adjust the seasoning, ingredients, and supplementary materials according to your own taste preferences. Now, let's get started and cook together!

INGREDIENTS

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  • 1 long eggplant

ACCESSORIES

  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 small Thai chilies

SEASONINGS

  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ bowl of water
  • Some peanut oil

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Prepare a long eggplant and wash it clean.

Prepare and clean long eggplant.

STEP 2

Prepare Thai chilies and garlic.

Thai chilies and garlic preparation.

STEP 3

Don't peel the eggplant, cut it into chunks.

Keep the eggplant unpeeled; cut into chunks for cooking.

STEP 4

Put the cut eggplant into a bowl, add a tablespoon of salt, and mix evenly with your hands. Marinate for ten minutes.

Marinate cut eggplant in salt in a bowl for ten minutes.

STEP 5

Finely chop the garlic, slice the Thai chilies into rings.

Chop garlic finely and slice Thai chilies into rings.

STEP 6

Take a small bowl, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, white sugar, salt, cornstarch, and half a bowl of water, stir to make the sauce.

Tips:

The proportion of soy sauce should be moderate to avoid too dark or too light color. Adjust the amount of sugar according to personal taste, but not too much to avoid excessive sweetness.

Recipe for making a savory sauce, with tips on adjusting ingredients for ideal flavor.

STEP 7

Squeeze the marinated eggplant to remove excess water.

Squeeze marinated eggplant to remove water.

STEP 8

Heat oil in a pan, when the oil temperature reaches about 50% hot, add the eggplant and stir-fry for a few seconds.

Stir-fry eggplant in hot oil for a few seconds.

STEP 9

Pour the mixed sauce into the pan, stir-fry evenly over medium heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 3 minutes.

Pour mixed sauce in pan, stir-fry over medium heat, cover, simmer for 3 minutes.

STEP 10

Wait for the sauce to thicken, then sprinkle with chopped green onions and stir evenly.

Thicken sauce, add green onions, stir evenly.

STEP 11

Turn off the heat, plate, and serve.

Turn off heat, plate, and serve dish.

Recipe analyzer

  • Recipes: Chinese Braised Eggplant
  • Main Ingredients:3
  • Servings per recipe:1
  • Servings size:562 g
Nutritional Summary of Recipe
Amount per 554 g= 1 serving(s)
  • Energy (calories):146 kcal
    8%
  • Protein:5.75 g
    13%
  • Fat:1.02 g Why gray?
    4%
  • Carbohydrates:34.21 g
    16%
Calorie breakdown
  • Protein: 10%
    14 kcal
  • Fat: 6%
    9 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 84%
    123 kcal
The chart shows the percentage of calories intake (energy) coming from the respective macronutrients (fats, protein and carbohydrates).
Omega 6 : Omega 3
1:1
20:1
8:1
Both fatty acids are essential, but nowadays the majority of western diets include excessive amounts of Omega 6 acid.

The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.

5 REVIEWS

Review
Your rating:
SamuelOctober 07, 2024

Braised Eggplant is simply a mouthwatering dish! That rich sauce, soft and sticky eggplant, every bite is a taste of happiness
reply:
October 10, 2024
Thank you for your love of Braised Eggplant! We hope to keep bringing you the most delicious dishes and look forward to your continued favorites!
HelenSeptember 23, 2024

My roasted eggplants are often mushy, what can I do to avoid this
reply:
September 26, 2024
You can control the fire when stir frying, don't make the fire too high and turn the eggplant frequently to avoid the bottom of the eggplant getting burnt.
BenjaminSeptember 12, 2024

When braising eggplant, how do I keep the eggplant from absorbing too much oil after frying
reply:
September 15, 2024
You can soak the eggplant slices in salt water before frying, then drain them before frying, which will reduce the oil absorption.
CharlotteJuly 30, 2024

I also tried making it and it tasted great slightly added a little bit of water or else that sauce is too little and tends to scorch the pan.
AnnaMay 24, 2024

It tastes really good when you make it from a recipe!
NEVER MISS A RECIPE