Description
Sichuan Fish Fragrant Eggplant is a classic Chinese dish featuring tender eggplant batons stir-fried with fragrant minced pork and a savory, spicy sauce made from broad bean paste, garlic, ginger, and pickled chili. This dish boasts a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors with a silky texture that pairs beautifully with steamed white rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant or 2 medium/small (450 to 500g), cut into 7 x 1.5cm batons (2.7 x 0.6″), skin on
- 100g / 3.5 oz pork mince / ground pork
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or canola, sunflower oil for frying; use less or none for no-fry version)
Aromatics & Flavorings
- 1 tbsp ginger, finely minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic, finely minced
- 1 green onion, finely sliced – separate white & pale green parts for cooking and green parts for garnish
- 1 tsp pickled red chili (or any pickled spicy peppers)
- 1 tbsp broad bean sauce (Pixian doubanjiang recommended for authentic spicy Sichuan flavor)
Sauce Mixture
- 1 1/2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp honey
- 3 1/2 tsp black vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
To Serve
- Steamed white rice
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce mixture: In a small bowl, mix together cornflour, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, honey, black vinegar, and water until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set this sauce mixture aside for later use.
- Fry the eggplant: Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the eggplant batons and fry them until they become soft and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oil with a slotted spoon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan for cooking the pork.
- Cook the pork and aromatics: In the same pan with the reserved oil, add the minced pork and stir-fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and the white and pale green parts of the green onion. Stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the spicy base: Stir in the pickled red chili and broad bean sauce. Cook for about 1 minute to release the flavors and aromas, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Combine eggplant and sauce: Return the fried eggplant to the wok. Slowly pour in the prepared sauce mixture in two batches, stirring gently to coat all the ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the eggplant and pork, about 2-3 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Turn off the heat and sprinkle the green parts of the sliced green onion over the top as garnish. Serve hot immediately, accompanied by steamed white rice.
Notes
- Note 1: For a healthier no-fry version, reduce the oil amount and stir-fry eggplant slices gently instead of deep frying.
- Note 2: Leaving the eggplant skin on helps the pieces hold their shape during cooking and adds texture.
- Note 3: Ground pork adds richness and texture; you may substitute with ground chicken or turkey if preferred.
- Note 4: Pickled red chili provides the signature sour-spicy flavor; adjust amount to taste or substitute with other pickled chilies.
- Note 5: Broad bean sauce (Pixian doubanjiang) is essential for authentic Sichuan flavor; available in Asian grocery stores.
- Note 7: Light and dark soy sauces balance saltiness and color in the dish.
- Note 8: Black vinegar adds tangy acidity that enhances the dish’s complexity.
