Yuxiang Eggplant – Yú Xiāng Eggplant cooks in a sticky-sweet hot garlic sauce, resulting in a well-balanced savory side dish that’s sweet and spicy; this is the best Chinese eggplant recipe, and you can eat it as is with steamed rice or noodles, or serve it with entrees like with crispy pork and tofu.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE YUXIANG EGGPLANT
- Yuxiang Garlic Sauce: The sauce features traditional flavors like doubanjiang (broad bean paste), brown sugar, soy sauce, water, and Shaoxing wine.
- Eggplant: Chinese eggplants are long and thin with vibrant purple skin and white flesh; they are often sweeter than other varieties of eggplant and work best in this recipe. Be sure the eggplants you use are firm and free of blemishes.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch creates a coating for the eggplants to cook.
- Garlic: I suggest using five cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use – measure with your heart.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger provides added flavor to the eggplant.
- Arbol Chili: These bright red chilies provide subtle heat and add a splash of additional color.
HOW TO COOK YUXIANG EGGPLANT
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Cut the eggplant into 1-inch pieces and place them into a mixing bowl. Toss with salt and allow them to sit for 10 minutes.
Remove the excess moisture from the eggplant using a towel.
Return the eggplant to the bowl and add 1½ teaspoons of cornstarch; stir until evenly distributed and set it aside.
Warm the oil in a wok until smoking. Add the reserved eggplant. Cook until they are tender and golden brown. Remove the cooked eggplants using tongs and set them aside.
Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium and add the bean paste; cook until aromatic for 30 seconds. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and dried red chilies and cook for another minute.
Stir in the water, soy, sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ½ teaspoon of cornstarch.
Return the eggplant to the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens and the eggplant softens for about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with scallions to serve.
EXPERT TIPS
- Prepare your wok or stainless steel pan before cooking the eggplant. Do this by heating the pan with oil over medium-high heat to create a beautiful non-stick seal for the eggplant to cook.
- We salt and rinse the eggplant to reduce the bitterness and maintain their shape while cooking.
- Use a Chinese cooking method called ‘liu,’ which involves frying the eggplant before preparing the sauce for the eggplants to cook in. You want the oil hot enough for the eggplant to fry and not steam or become soggy.
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WHAT TO SERVE WITH YUXIANG EGGPLANT
The key to pairing is to pick a side dish or entree that will highlight the rich, umami flavor of the eggplant. Starchy sides and vegetables seem to work best; I suggest steamed white rice, quinoa, noodles, and vegetables like garlic-fried green beans. The eggplant dish goes great with crispy sesame tofu, Chongqing chicken, or crispy pork.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; they will keep for 2-3 days.
- Freeze – Let the eggplant cool and add it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Yuxiang eggplant freezes for 2 months.
- Thaw – Defrost the eggplant in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm leftovers on the stovetop and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does Yu Xiang mean in Chinese?
Yú Xiāng is a popular sauce used to cook eggplant in Sichuanese cuisine. Despite its name translating to ‘fish fragrant,’ the dish does not contain any seafood or fish-related ingredients.
Instead, Yuxiang Eggplant comes from the way the dish is prepared, which mimics the flavor and aroma of fish.
The sauce has a sweet and tangy profile and is a prominent flavor in Sichuan cuisine, commonly used to flavor eggplant, fish, and pork. In Sichuan restaurants, the dish is often referred to as eggplant in garlic sauce or spicy garlic eggplant.
What does Yu Xiang sauce taste like?
Yú Xiāng sauce is a traditional Sichuan sauce that’s sweet and tangy with heat to round out the bold flavors.
What is the best way to cook eggplant?
To make Yuxiang Eggplant, I recommend using the Chinese cooking technique called ‘liu;’ this involves frying the eggplant before adding it to the sauce.
It’s essential to ensure the oil is adequately heated to prevent the eggplant from turning soggy or steamed.
Why do you soak eggplant before cooking?
Many recipes use brining to reduce the bitterness of eggplants and maintain their shape while cooking. We salt and rinse the eggplant before cooking them to achieve the same result.
As always, Kenji does a great job of explaining the science of why the works in his video.
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Yuxiang Eggplant
- Wok , or Heavy-Bottomed Pan
- 3-4 Chinese eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2½ teaspoons cornstarch, divided
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon doubanjiang (bean paste)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- ¼ cup Arbol chilies, dried, chopped
- ⅓ teaspoon red sichuan peppercorns, slightly crushed
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 4 scallions, greens thinly sliced
- Cut the eggplant into 1-inch pieces and place them into a mixing bowl. Toss with salt and allow them to sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove the excess moisture from the eggplant using a towel.
- Return the eggplant to the bowl and add 1½ teaspoons of cornstarch; stir until evenly distributed and set it aside.
- Warm the oil in a wok until smoking. Add the reserved eggplant. Cook until they are tender and golden brown. Remove the cooked eggplants using tongs and set them aside.
- Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium and add the bean paste; cook until aromatic for 30 seconds. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and dried red chilies and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the water, soy, sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ½ teaspoon of cornstarch.
- Return the eggplant to the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens and the eggplant softens for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with scallions to serve.
- Prepare your wok or stainless steel pan before cooking the eggplant. Do this by heating the pan with oil over medium-high heat to create a beautiful non-stick seal for the eggplant to cook.
- We salt and rinse the eggplant to reduce the bitterness and maintain their shape while cooking.
- Use a Chinese cooking method called ‘liu,’ which involves frying the eggplant before preparing the sauce for the eggplants to cook in. You want the oil hot enough for the eggplant to fry and not steam or become soggy.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Shariq
Sunday 16th of October 2022
Very nice takeout restaurant-style eggplant. I really enjoyed preparing and eating this dish with spicy Chinese chicken.
Tressa Jamil
Tuesday 10th of January 2023
Wow, restaurant-style, that's quite a compliment; I am glad you enjoyed it.