Stir Fried Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

What is better than stir fried Chinese eggplant?

Stir-fried Chinese eggplant in a garlicky sauce!

Eggplant is very common vegetable, I mean fruit, eaten around the world.  I had no idea eggplant is technically a fruit, did you?

It is simmered in dishes, stir fried, deep-fried, grilled and broiled and often appears in soups and curries throughout Asia. In Japan this delightful deep purple fruit(!) is made into eye catching crunchy pickles which can add a very nice colorful accent to the table.

To be expected, the American eggplant is the largest variety. As an example, you will need 2-3 Chinese and 4-5 Japanese to be equivalent to 1 average sized American eggplant.

Eggplants are really berries!

Eggplant comes in a surprising variety of shapes, sizes and colors; the smaller varieties, found at Asian markets, are usually the best. I say that but I have not tried all the different kinds of eggplant out there.  Look for the long slender shaped eggplant if you are going to make Chinese or Japanese recipes calling for eggplant to get the best experience

I never would have guessed that I would love eggplant as much as I do and I did not love it the first time I ate it.   It is not the most appealing vegetable out there.

I’m not sure what frightened me most.

The name. The astonishing deep purple color or the spongey flesh?

Eggplant.

Just saying the word kind of makes me cringe.  How about you?

Turnip. Rhubarb. Spinach. Rutabaga.  All theses vegetables just sound like they are gonna taste bad?  But don’t let those cringe-worthy names stop you from putting a few of the more unusual roots and veggies into your basket. You may be pleasantly surprised if you find the right recipe.

Give it a “no thank you bite”

Just because you tried it once doesn’t mean you won’t like it the next time.  Our palates change and mature as we get older and a lot depends on the preparation.  I am 95% sure  that this Chinese style garlic sauce will make anything taste delicious.   This sauce comes together quickly and it takes just a few minutes to sauté the eggplant.  You will not be disappointed.

The first time I tried eggplant was in eggplant parmigiana and because it was not horrible I gave it another try.  The next time it was miso glazed eggplant and hands down that was even better so I was willing to try it again, and again.

Now I find myself ordering eggplant just about every time we go out to eat Thai or Indian food.  I find myself putting a couple into the basket about every other time I go to the grocery store and I have started to search for different ways to prepare this delightful vividly purple veggie.  Fruit

 

 

The Basics of Eggplant

Buying:  Look for deep purple unblemished skin and the eggplant should be firm to the touch, much like a cucumber. I prefer the long narrow Chinese or Japanese eggplant over the larger fleshier variety.  The larger the eggplant the more seeds and moisture it will have and these tend to turn into a very soft sometimes mushy consistency.

Storing: Keep in the refrigerator and use within a few days   The outside may not change much but the  inside becomes softer and more bitter in time.

Preparing:  Eggplant does not need to be peeled especially the smaller varieties.  The skin of the larger American eggplant may be thick and removing it may be necessary.  Although it is not necessary for the smaller firmer less bitter Asian varieties it is a good idea to slice the large eggplant and sprinkle with salt to remove excess moisture and reduce bitterness.

Grilling, broiling, roasting sautéing and you know it’s done when the eggplant is tender and kinda creamy inside

 

Next time you are at the store, pick up a couple of vibrant purple eggplant and try this quick spicy stir fry.  Even if you have tried eggplant in the past, I strongly urge you to give it another try. There are so many variety of this fruit, (yes, it is technically a fruit!) and a different variety prepared differently may just make all the difference.

Give my Garlicky Eggplant Stir-Fry a go and be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think.  I love to hear from my readers!

For this recipe you will need:

Shaoxing Wine

Oyster Sauce

Rice Wine Vinegar

Yamasa Soy Sauce

Sesame Oil