Chinese Eggplant - Everyone's Favorite

I love Chinese food, and since my first trip to China, when I tasted the way the Chinese prepare their eggplant, I have been trying to replicate it in my own kitchen.

Chinese EggplantPhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

This is my interpretation of the Chinese eggplant. The wonderful thing is that most Chinese sauces can be found in our grocery stores in bottles. Thus half a shelf has been taken by them in my refrigerator.

What is Eggplant?

Members of the nightshade family. Grown worldwide and most commonly purple in color. Also known as aubergine or brinjal, they contain antioxidants like vitamins A and C.

At your grocery store, you will find a wide selection of eggplants. For this recipe, I used Chinese. You can also use Japanese eggplant, which is a little longer in size.

When selecting your eggplant, ensure that they are not the same size and the skin is not bruised or has brown spots. It has to be firm to the touch, and the skin has a shiny look to the naked eye.

Store them in a cool place and use them within two days if left outside the refrigerator.

Chinese Sauces

I love to play with Chinese flavors. I have always enjoyed eating Chinese food and have been fortunate to travel to China and South East Asia and loved all the food in front of me.

Sauces are a huge part of cooking, and with this dish, I played with a few, which are a staple in my refrigerator. I believe I use more soy sauce than ketchup.

Here is a list of what I suggest you add to your pantry/refrigerator, as they are fun to use with lots of dishes:

• Soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Hot chili sauce

Chinese EggplantPhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions on how to cook this Chinese eggplant recipe

When purchasing your eggplant, I usually select a smaller one. The less internal pulp, the less bitter they are. Look for all the same size eggplants with shiny outer skin and no bruising.

• Some recipes will require cutting them and letting them rest with lots of salt sprinkled over them to remove the bitterness of it. Do follow that guide. The salt removes the acidity.
• Cut the Chinese eggplant to the same size. Easy to cook evenly
• Either use a skillet or a wok. Please make sure they are hot to do a quick eggplant stir fry. Do not let them sit too long in the sauce.

This recipe cooks rather fast. I strongly suggest you have all the ingredients ready at once. If you are working over a gas stove, due to the shape of your wok, the flames tend to come up along the side; please wear comfortable clothes around the heat source, and keep children away.

I love to work with a wok, and it mesmerizes me how fast everything cooks in it. Remember, if the heat is too hot and it cooks too fast, you can move whatever food you have inside to the upper walls of your wok.

Chinese EggplantPhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

Ingredients needed to make Eggplant Chinese Style

15 Mins Total 5 Mins Prep 10 Mins Cook 

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 small Chinese or Japanese eggplants
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon ginger peeled and chopped
• 1/3 cup finely sliced scallions (4 white light green part only)
• 1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, hot chili sauce, sugar, and water in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Slice eggplant crosswise around 1 ½ inches thick. Cut those pieces in half. 
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok. Add the eggplant and sauté over high heat, covering for about 5 minutes and occasionally turning the pieces in hot oil.
4. Remove the lid, add the ginger, garlic, scallions, and sauté uncovered for about 1 minute, tossing a few times gently.
5. Add the soy sauce mixture to the skillet, cover, and cook for about 1 minute. Uncover and cook for another minute. Add the parsley, toss, and serve.

My  Eggplant Chinese Style is published on GiangisKitchen.com

Storage and reheating instructions for this Chinese eggplant dish.

If you are fortunate to have leftovers, store them in an air-tight glass container in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Bring back to room temperature and warm over medium-low heat in a skillet. Do not move around too much so they will not fall apart.

What other recipes can you prepare with eggplants?

I have an assortment of straightforward recipes to a bit more elaborate.

Eggplant Parmigiana.

Eggplant, Pasta and Ricotta Salata  or Eggplant Tortiglioni

Stir Fry Vegetables

Egglant Gratin

Ratatouille.

The possibilities are endless.

We had Lemon Parmesan Orange Roughy with it. Simple and the perfect balance.

Do you like this recipe?

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Meet Chef Giangi

Chinese EggplantPhoto byGiangi's Kitchen - Giangi Townsend

I am a passionate cook, recipe developer, author, and food photographer with 14 years of food blogging experience. Inspired by my French and Italian heritage, I work with other chefs, both foreign and domestic, and have had countless discussions with chefs at famous restaurants globally. I enjoy sharing these creative culinary delights in simple, straightforward, easy-to-understand recipes.

I only recommend the products that I love and use. This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.