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Eggplant in Hot Garlic Sauce
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Ingredients
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Step by step
Method
4 steps
- 1
Cut 4–6 Chinese or Japanese eggplants (about 1½ lb) into ½-inch by 2-inch strips. Heat 2–3 tablespoons neutral oil in a nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high. Sauté half the eggplant until browned and soft, about 5 minutes — the strips should collapse a little and look glossy. Remove. Repeat with remaining eggplant and oil.
- 2
Lower the heat to medium. In the same pan, cook 2 tablespoons minced ginger, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, and 1–2 tablespoons chili bean paste (doubanjiang) about 1 minute until fragrant and the paste darkens a shade — don't burn the garlic.
- 3
Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, and ½ cup water or chicken broth. Add ½ cup diced water chestnuts, return the eggplant, and simmer about 5 minutes until a sauce forms and coats the strips. If it's thin, stir in 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water and cook 30–60 seconds until glossy.
- 4
Fold in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Top with ¼ cup sliced scallions and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot over white rice. You want silky, soft eggplant in a spicy-savory garlic sauce — not oily sponges or a watery soy puddle under raw-tasting garlic.