🍆 How a Chinese chef cooks Eggplant (蒸茄子)!

By Made With Lau · 35 min

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Trim the ends of the eggplant and peel off some of the skin, leaving some on. Cut into quarters lengthwise, then remove the core and seeds.
2. Soak the eggplant in cold water with the rice vinegar while you prep the other ingredients.
3. Dice half a red bell pepper into small squares. Mince the ginger and garlic. Cut the scallions and chilies into pieces of similar size, keeping the green parts of the scallions for garnish.
4. Mince the pork, or use ground pork. Mix the cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons light soy sauce in the bowl, then add the pork and mix well. Replace with mushrooms or plant-based meat for a vegetarian version.
5. In a separate bowl, mix 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 4 tablespoons water. Adjust sweetness and tartness to taste.
6. In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry.
7. Drain the eggplant, squeeze out excess liquid and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Arrange on the plate you will steam them on.
8. Bring water to a boil in a steamer. Place the plate on the rack and steam over high heat for 12 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.
9. Heat a wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and wait until it smokes. Spread the marinated pork into a patty and fry for about 45 seconds, then flip.
10. Add the chilies, garlic, ginger and scallion whites and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep stirring, breaking the pork into pieces.
11. Turn the heat to medium, add 1 teaspoon cooking wine and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sauce mixture and the bell pepper and stir-fry for 2 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon water if it looks dry.
12. Stir the slurry briefly, lower the heat and slowly add it to the wok while mixing the pork. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
13. Spoon the pork sauce over the steamed eggplant and garnish with the scallion greens.

Summarized from Made With Lau's video. Watch it for the details.

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