Sauce-Flavored Eggplant with Minced Pork
Ingredients
- 4 Chinese eggplant
- 50g Minced pork
- 4 Garlic
- 2 Scallions
- 2 Bird's eye chili
- 1 Cornstarch
- 1 Reduced-salt doubanjiang (bean paste)
- 2 Cooking oil
- 1 Light soy sauce
- 1 Shaoxing wine
- 3–4g Salt
- ½ Sugar
- Cornstarch slurry
- 2g Cornstarch (for slurry)
- ½ Water
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients. Wash and drain the eggplant, garlic, bird's eye chilies, and scallions. Cut eggplant into roll-cut pieces, mince the garlic, slice chilies into rings, and separate scallion whites from greens — chop both and set aside.
- Sprinkle salt over the cut eggplant and toss evenly. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Rinse the salted eggplant several times, then squeeze out excess water firmly.
- Toss the eggplant with cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Heat a generous amount of oil in a wok or pan. Add the eggplant pieces.
- Pan-fry each side for 10–15 seconds until the eggplant turns vibrant and glossy. Remove and set aside.
- Leave a little oil in the pan. Add minced pork and stir-fry until lightly browned. Add garlic (reserve a small portion for later), scallion whites, and chili rings — stir until fragrant.
- Squeeze in the reduced-salt doubanjiang and stir-fry until the sauce releases its aroma — this is the soul of the dish.
- Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Stir-fry with the sauce until deeply fragrant. Pour in half a bowl of water and bring to a boil.
- Add the pan-fried eggplant back in and cook over high heat for 2–3 minutes. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir evenly.
- Reduce the sauce over high heat. Toss in the reserved garlic and scallion greens. Stir everything together and plate.
- Garnish with extra scallions and chili rings if desired. Vibrant in color and rich in flavor — even with reduced-salt doubanjiang, it's packed with umami. Perfect with rice!
- Every piece of eggplant is coated in minced pork and savory sauce — absolutely irresistible! Give it a try!
