Eggplant Swimming in Fragrant Sauce: Its tantalizing aroma is enough to make one’s mouth water. With each bite, it feels as if you’ve consumed the entire ocean’s freshness, complemented by the fiery and rich flavors of the sauce. This dish is truly a fantastical journey for the taste buds that leaves an unforgettable impression.
Fish-flavored Eggplant
Ingredients for Fish-flavored Eggplant:
| Eggplant | 2 |
| Minced pork | 50g |
| Garlic | 8 cloves |
| Chili pepper | 0.5 |
| Bean paste | 2 tablespoons |
| Starch | 1 tablespoons |
| Sugar | 2 tablespoons |
| Salt | 0.5 tablespoon |
| Aromatic vinegar | 20ml |
| Light soy sauce | 10ml |
| Cooking wine | 5ml |
| Edible oil | 2ml |
Steps:
1.Prepare all the necessary ingredients.
2.Clean the eggplants, remove the stems, and cut them into strips of about 7 centimeters in length. Sprinkle a tablespoon of salt over the eggplants and mix well with your hands. Let them marinate for about 10 minutes. Drain the water released by the eggplants and then add a suitable amount of cornstarch. Mix well, ensuring that each strip of eggplant is coated with cornstarch. Set aside.
3.Peel and mince the garlic. Wash the chili pepper thoroughly and dice it into small pieces. Add a tablespoon of cooking wine to the minced pork and mix well. This helps remove any unpleasant odor. In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar, vinegar, light soy sauce, and salt. Mix well.
4.Heat oil in a pan. Use a slightly generous amount of oil. Once the oil is hot, place the eggplant strips into the pan. Fry the eggplants briefly. If desired, you can deep-fry them for better taste, though this will require more oil. Once the eggplant strips are nicely fried, remove them from the pan.
5.In another pan, heat oil and stir-fry the minced pork until it changes color. Add a tablespoon of doubanjiang (broad bean paste) and the diced red chili pepper. Stir-fry everything together until well combined.
6.Add the minced garlic to the pan and continue to stir-fry until fragrant.
7.Next, add the fried eggplant strips to the pan and continue to stir-fry.
8.Pour the prepared sauce into the pan and stir-fry until everything is well coated.
9.Finally, drizzle some sesame oil over the dish for added flavor. Once done, you can remove it from the heat.
Tips:
1.To ensure uniform length, you can first cut the eggplant into equal-sized sections, then slice them, and finally cut them into strips. This will make the length more consistent.
2.Eggplant is a rare purple-colored vegetable with high nutritional value in its skin, so there’s no need to peel it.
3.When salting the eggplant, be careful not to add too much salt. Otherwise, the eggplant may become too salty. Salting helps draw out the moisture from the eggplant, reducing its oil absorption during cooking and enhancing the flavor.
4.The step of frying the eggplant strips is actually a way to reduce oil usage. However, considering the amount of oil used, shallow-frying is a healthier option.
Fish-flavored Eggplant is a highly popular and classic Sichuan dish, loved for its unique texture and rich flavors. With different cooking methods and variations in ingredient combinations, various flavors of fish-flavored eggplant can be created. It’s important to master the cooking technique, balance the seasoning, and avoid using excessive oil to preserve the texture and nutritional value of the eggplant.
In summary, Fish-flavored Eggplant is a nutritious, uniquely textured, and versatile Sichuan dish that is worth trying and savoring.