Easy & Quick Stir-Fried Eggplant

Ingredients

• 2 eggplant (cut into equal parts; Chinese or Japanese varieties work best)
• salt (for drawing out water and for the sauce)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch (to coat the eggplant)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 chili pepper (sliced; adjust to heat preference)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil (for stir-frying)
• 1 stalk green onion (chopped for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the eggplant into equal-sized batons or bite-sized parts.

2. 2

   Place the eggplant in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Gently massage the salt into the eggplant pieces.

3. 3

   Let the eggplant sit for a few minutes, then squeeze it firmly with your hands to remove as much excess water as possible.

4. 4

   Evenly coat the squeezed eggplant pieces with cornstarch and set aside.

5. 5

   In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by mixing together minced garlic, a pinch of salt, sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, water, and sliced chili peppers. Stir until well combined.

6. 6

   Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and stir-fry until it softens and begins to brown.

7. 7

   Pour the prepared sauce over the eggplant.

8. 8

   Stir-fry well on high heat until the sauce thickens and coats the eggplant evenly.

9. 9

   Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately with a bowl of rice.

Notes

The technique of salting and squeezing the eggplant is crucial in Chinese cooking to prevent the vegetable from absorbing too much oil and becoming mushy.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• stir-fried
• Chinese
• quick
• easy
• eggplant