Textual Chef Textual Chef

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Tender stir-fried eggplant in a savory, slightly spicy garlic sauce. A popular Sichuan dish that's flavorful and satisfying.

30 minMediumServes 2250 cal/serving

ChineseLunchStovetopVegetarianVeganLow CarbDairy-FreeEgg-FreePork-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Chinese eggplant, cut into strips
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with water
  • 2 tbsp water, for cornstarch slurry
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 cup cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut 1 lb Chinese eggplant into strips about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch thick.

  2. 2

    In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water.

  3. 3

    Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan.

  4. 4

    Add the cut into strips Chinese eggplant and stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes until softened and slightly browned. Remove from wok and set aside.

  5. 5

    In the same wok, add a bit more oil if needed. Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger, white parts of 3 chopped scallions, and 1/2 tsp red chili flakes. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.

  6. 6

    Return the eggplant to the wok. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir quickly to coat the eggplant.

  7. 7

    Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the eggplant evenly.

  8. 8

    Turn off the heat and drizzle with 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Garnish with green parts of the scallions.

  9. 9

    Serve hot over 1 cup for serving cooked rice.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Chinese Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

Why mix the cornstarch with water first in Eggplant with Garlic Sauce?

Step 2 reads: "In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water." Dry starch clumps the moment it meets hot liquid. The slurry in step 2 disperses it first, and it only thickens once the sauce comes back to a simmer.

How hot is Eggplant with Garlic Sauce?

Moderately. The heat in Eggplant with Garlic Sauce comes from 1/2 tsp red chili flakes. For a milder plate, halve the chili flakes; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Can I make Eggplant with Garlic Sauce gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Eggplant with Garlic Sauce is 2 tbsp soy sauce. Swap the soy-based sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Everything else proceeds as written.

Is Eggplant with Garlic Sauce low-carb?

A serving of Eggplant with Garlic Sauce carries 14 g of carbohydrate, 2 g of it fiber. Against a strict 20 g keto day that is 70 percent of the budget; against a moderate 100 g low-carb day it is 14 percent.

Does Eggplant with Garlic Sauce contain sesame?

Yes: 1/2 tsp sesame oil. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten, soy and sesame. Seeds used as a garnish can simply be left off; the oil has no true substitute. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

How many calories are in Eggplant with Garlic Sauce?

One serving (the recipe makes 2) is about 250 calories, with 12 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate and 8 g fat, plus 2 g fiber and 480 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

How long does Eggplant with Garlic Sauce keep?

Refrigerate what is left of Eggplant with Garlic Sauce within two hours and eat it within three days. Reheat gently on the stovetop. The grain firms up as it chills; add a spoonful of water before reheating.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Chinese entries

All Chinese recipes · All Lunch recipes · All Eggplant recipes