Description
Quick & easy Chinese spicy garlic eggplant – crispy, tender eggplant tossed in a bold, savory sauce with garlic, ginger, and chilies. Ready in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chinese or Japanese eggplant
- ¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 dried red chilies or 2 fresh red chilies, chopped
- 5 slices ginger, peeled
- 1 green onion, chopped
- Sauce:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce (halal-certified or vegetarian)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp chicken broth (instead of cooking wine)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp chili flakes
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Slice eggplant into long strips, then into 2-inch pieces. Toss with cornstarch.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant until tender and lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add ginger, chilies, and green onion; sauté briefly.
- Add eggplant back to the pan along with the sauce. Toss until evenly coated.
- Cook briefly until sauce thickens. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chinese or Japanese eggplant works best as they have thinner skins and fewer seeds.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetarian oyster sauce.
- Adjust chili flakes and dried chilies to control spice level.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Side Dish
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Chinese