Description
This authentic Sichuan-style Chinese eggplant and minced pork recipe features tender eggplant cooked in a rich, spicy, and flavorful fish fragrant sauce. The dish combines stir-fried eggplant with ground pork, garlic, ginger, pickled chili, and broad bean sauce, creating a luscious balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. Perfect served with steamed white rice, this classic comfort food offers an irresistible taste of Sichuan cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Eggplant and Pork
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or canola, sunflower oil for frying; see Note 1 for no-fry option)
- 1 large eggplant or 2 medium/small (450 to 500g), cut into 7 x 1.5cm batons (2.7 x 0.6″), skin on (see Note 2)
- 100g (3.5 oz) pork mince / ground pork (see Note 3)
- 1 tbsp ginger, finely minced
- 1.5 tbsp garlic, finely minced
- 1 green onion, finely sliced, separate white & pale green part (for cooking) from green part (for garnish)
- 1 tsp pickled red chili or any pickled spicy peppers (see Note 4)
- 1 tbsp broad bean sauce (Pixian doubanjiang recommended, the spicy Sichuan version; see Note 5)
Sauce
- 1.5 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (see Note 7)
- 0.5 tsp dark soy sauce (see Note 7)
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp honey
- 3.5 tsp black vinegar (see Note 8)
- 0.5 cup water
To Serve
- Steamed white rice
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small jug or bowl, mix the cornflour with light soy sauce until smooth and lump-free. Add dark soy sauce, sugar, honey, black vinegar, and water, then stir to combine thoroughly. Set this sauce mixture aside while you cook the other ingredients.
- Fry the Eggplant: Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until hot (about 180°C/350°F). Add half the eggplant batons and fry for approximately 4 minutes, gently stirring and turning occasionally until the eggplant is soft throughout and slightly browned on the surface. Use a slotted spoon to remove and drain the fried eggplant on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining eggplant pieces.
- Remove Excess Oil: Carefully pour out most of the leftover oil from the wok, leaving about 2 tablespoons to use for the next cooking steps.
- Cook the Pork and Aromatics: Return the wok to high heat, and add the pork mince. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, breaking it up with a spatula until it is no longer pink. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and the white and pale green parts of the green onion. Stir-fry together for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Chili and Broad Bean Sauce: Stir in the pickled red chili and broad bean sauce. Cook for 1 minute, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to heat through.
- Add Eggplant and Sauce Mixture: Quickly stir the sauce mixture to dissolve any settled cornflour. Add the fried eggplant to the wok, then pour in half of the sauce. Toss gently to coat the ingredients, cooking for 30 to 45 seconds until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the remaining sauce and continue tossing gently for another 45 seconds until it thickens to a consistency between maple syrup and honey.
- Finish and Garnish: Turn off the heat and transfer the dish to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the green parts of the sliced green onion over the top as garnish. Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
- Healthier Pan-Steamed Eggplant Option: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the eggplant pieces for 1.5 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Carefully add 1/3 cup water around the eggplant, cover immediately with a lid to steam, and cook for 2 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and the water has evaporated. Add more water and continue steaming if necessary. Then proceed with the recipe using the pan instead of a wok.
Notes
- Note 1: For a no-fry version, skip deep frying and use the pan-steamed method described in the instructions.
- Note 2: Skin-on eggplant adds texture and color to the dish; ensure you cut the pieces evenly for uniform cooking.
- Note 3: Pork mince can be substituted with ground chicken or turkey as preferred.
- Note 4: Pickled red chili gives this dish its signature tangy heat. Adjust the amount to taste.
- Note 5: Broad bean sauce or Pixian doubanjiang is essential for authentic Sichuan flavor; do not omit or substitute lightly.
- Note 7: Use light and dark soy sauce to balance saltiness and color.
- Note 8: Black vinegar adds the characteristic sourness, making this dish ‘fish fragrant’ though no fish is included.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Sichuan eggplant recipe, Chinese eggplant with pork, fish fragrant eggplant, spicy eggplant stir fry, broad bean sauce recipe
