VegVeganSichuan
Fish fragrant brinjal
No fish in sight. Just silky brinjal in a sweet, sour, garlicky sauce.
35 minTime
3 gProtein each
mediumSpice
Fish fragrant, without the fishMake it your way
Grandma's wayFried brinjal in the yu xiang sauce of chilli, garlic, sugar and vinegar.
The original237kcalsame
3 gproteinsame
6 gfibresame
35minutessame
Brinjal (eggplant, aubergine)2 long purple brinjals, in fingers
Salt1 tsp, for salting and sauce
Cooking oil (vegetable oil)3 tbsp
Doubanjiang1½ tbsp chilli bean paste
Garlic5 cloves, minced
Ginger1 tbsp, minced
Spring onion (green onion, scallion)3 stalks, sliced
Sugar1 tbsp plus 1 tsp
Chinkiang black vinegar1½ tbsp
Soy sauce1 tbsp
Cornflour (cornstarch)1 tbsp, in 2 tbsp water
Water½ cupMethod
- 1Toss the brinjal fingers with half the salt and leave for 15 minutes. Squeeze gently and pat dry.
- 2Shallow fry the brinjal in the oil until golden and soft. Lift out.
- 3In the same oil, fry the chilli bean paste, garlic, ginger and the white parts of the spring onion.
- 4Add the water, soy, sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Return the brinjal and simmer 2 minutes.
- 5Stir in the slurry, then the green spring onion. Serve hot.
Serve it like thisSpoon into a shallow bowl with all its glossy sauce, spring onion greens on top. Serve with rice to catch the sauce.