Szechwan Eggplant Stir-Fry

  4.6 – 89 reviews  • Chinese Recipes
Level: Easy
Total: 25 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Level: Easy
Total: 25 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 min
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

  1. 5 Asian eggplants, about 2 pounds
  2. 3 tablespoons peanut oil
  3. 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
  4. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  5. 2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced on a diagonal
  6. 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  7. 3 garlic cloves, minced
  8. 1 fresh red chile, sliced
  9. 1/2 cup chicken broth
  10. 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  11. 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  12. 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  13. 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  14. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
  15. Thai holy basil and fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cut the eggplants in 1/2 lengthwise and then slice crosswise into wedges, no more than 1-inch wide.
  2. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high flame and add the oils; tilt the pan to coat all sides. When you see a slight smoke, add a layer of eggplant, stir-fry until seared and sticky, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the eggplant to a side platter and cook the remaining eggplant in same manner, adding more oil, if needed.
  3. After all the eggplant is out of the pan, add the green onions, ginger, garlic, and chile; stir-fry for a minute until fragrant. Add the broth. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the wok and cook another minute, until the sauce has thickened. Put the eggplant back in the pan, tossing quickly, until the sauce is absorbed. Garnish with sesame seeds, Thai basil, and cilantro and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 4 servings
Calories 229
Total Fat 16 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Carbohydrates 21 g
Dietary Fiber 7 g
Sugar 10 g
Protein 5 g
Cholesterol 1 mg
Sodium 747 mg
Serving Size 1 of 4 servings
Calories 229
Total Fat 16 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Carbohydrates 21 g
Dietary Fiber 7 g
Sugar 10 g
Protein 5 g
Cholesterol 1 mg
Sodium 747 mg

Reviews

Amanda Riley
Since it was just for myself I halved the recipe. Then added 3 of a hot variety of jalapeno called, “Grandpa’s Favorite,” seeds, membrane and all simply slicing them. An extra clove of garlic, and was going to add some Hoisin. But, I found i don’t have any in the house so used 1 tsp of Oyster Sauce instead.
Turned out fantastic!! The heat was huge up front. But, tamed down fairly quickly. It’s been a good ten minutes since I had lunch and still feel the tingling heat in my mouth. Not painful at all (at least for me).
Will definitely make it again; just try and use Hoisin or Plum Sauce next time 🙂 and perhaps a little more ginger.
Jordan Ho
Easy and delicious
Samantha Taylor
I wouldn’t recommend this dish. It was rather bland and not like the restaurant versions I’ve had.

Pass on this.

Harold Schmidt
Very quick to make. And it is so delicious if you like eggplant. The prep chopping takes longer than it is to cook.
George Williams
Rarely do I write reviews but this turned out to be almost identical to the restaurant Chinese eggplant in garlic sauce that I was craving. But it turned out even better because of all the fresh ingredients used.
For the most part I followed everything to a tee. I did cook the eggplant slices longer than 3 minutes and prepared the eggplant by letting it sit for an hour covered in kosher salt to allow the water to be released.
So happy that I tried this recipe. Will definitely be making it again 🙂
Allen Williams
Got a feeling that something was missing when I tasted it. Added some hoisin sauce and it fixed the problem. Tasted pretty good after that.
Madison Hammond
Excellent!  First time trying to make Szechan eggplant and it was almost restaurant quality!  I used regular eggplants (grown in my garden) rather than Asian eggplants, and added slice chicken breast (that was browned with salt and pepper prior to stir-frying the eggplant).  The blended flavors of the ingredients were wonderful.  As the recipe didn’t specify the size of the red chile pepper, I used a small one, not knowing how spicy it might be, and it was fairly low on heat, but still delicious.  I also split the amount of oil used at the beginning, putting half in with the first batch of eggplant and the rest with the second, rather than using it all with the first and adding more as eggplant was added.  I also salted the sliced eggplant for 30 minutes (and rinsed and dried it well) before stir-frying.  This will definitely be a recipe to make again!.
John Hernandez
Love this recipe! Nearly duplicates my local favorite Asian restaurant, except it is better. I especially like it because I control the amount of oil used.
Eric Fox
Easy to prepare, speedy, and better than any take out
William Martinez
Loved it- added spinach and kale and used jalapeños instead of red pepper.

 

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