This vegan spicy garlic eggplant is perfectly comforting, packed with umami, protein, and spice! The secret, as always, is in the sauce. Try it and see for yourself!
Vegan Spicy Garlic Eggplant (鱼香茄子, Yú xiāng qiézi)
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1lb [450g] Japanese eggplant
- 2oz [65g] firm tofu, pressed and mashed
- 6 dried chilis, boiled to soften then chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- a handful of chopped green onions
- oil for cooking
- salt to taste
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Chenkiang vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Michiu or vegetable broth
- ¾ cup water with 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the eggplant, cut into 2” chunks, and shallow pan fry for a minute.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and add in the mashed tofu. Pan-fry tofu until golden brown, then push to the side of the pan.
- Add another swirl of oil in the pan, and sauté chili, ginger, and garlic until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Place in the partially cooked eggplant and season with soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, michiu, and give it a quick toss to combine.
- Gradually add in the water with cornstarch then stir to mix all the ingredients together and let the mixture simmer until the sauce is thickened and eggplant is fork-tender. Season with more salt or soy sauce if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm with a bowl of your favorite cooked grain.
Notes
Find more of WoonHeng’s recipes on @woon.heng.
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