My Chinese eggplant recipe features tender eggplant cooked until caramelized, then served in an umami glaze. It’s an aromatic, complex, restaurant-worthy recipe!
Need more Aside side dish recipes? Try my Korean spicy noodles, summer rolls, crab Rangoon, and egg drop soup.
Eggplant has an unfortunate reputation for being finicky to cook. The line between mushy and overcooked versus tough and chewy is quite thin, but if you follow this recipe, you won’t have that problem.
The trick is to cook the eggplant quickly at a high heat. This keeps the skin crisp while the center remains tender. Pair that with a spicy, zesty sauce, and you have a memorable side that might steal the show!
What is Chinese eggplant?
The name refers to both the type of eggplant and how it’s prepared in this recipe. Unlike Japanese eggplant or Italian eggplant, it has a slightly sweeter taste, fewer seeds, and thinner skin, resulting in a more delicate texture.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- It’s naturally vegan. This recipe has no fish sauce, so it’s 100% vegan. Swap the soy sauce for tamari, and it’s even gluten-free!
- No more tough or chewy eggplant. Cooking it at a high heat with plenty of sauce helps to caramelize the skin and give it the perfect bite.
- The perfect side or main course. Pair it with my beef bulgogi or salt and pepper tofu for a complete meal, or do what I do and serve it on a bed of Instant Pot sushi rice and call it a day.
Ingredients needed
- Chinese eggplant. Look for firm eggplant with no bruising or soft spots. They’ll need to be cut into thin strips.
- Onion. Finely chopped.
- Sesame oil. To sauté the eggplant.
- Oil. To cook the rest of the ingredients. Sesame oil alone would be too overpowering. Use a neutral oil like peanut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
- Ginger and garlic cloves. Two essential aromatics for any Asian recipe.
- Sesame seeds. For flavor and texture.
- Tomato sauce. To build the sauce.
- Brown sugar. Adds sweetness and caramelizes the eggplant.
- Sriracha. For spicy flavor. Add more or less depending on how spicy you want it.
- Chili garlic sauce. Also known as sambal oelek.
- Soy sauce. For umami and savory flavor. Feel free to use tamari, low-sodium, or light soy sauce if needed.
- Rice vinegar. For acidity and subtle sweetness.
- Water. To build the sauce and make the cornstarch slurry.
- Cornstarch. Combined with water to thicken the sauce.
- Scallions. For garnish.
How to cook Chinese eggplant
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Sauté the eggplant. Add sesame oil to a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat. Once hot, add the eggplant and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Set aside in a large bowl.
Step 2- Sauté the onion. Add one tablespoon of oil, then the onion, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add it to the bowl with the eggplant.
Step 3- Cook the aromatics. To the same skillet, add the remaining oil. Add garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds, and sauté for two minutes.
Step 4- Build the sauce. Add tomato sauce, sugar, Sriracha, sambal, soy sauce, vinegar, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat until it starts to thicken. In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch.
Step 5- Assemble. Add the eggplant and onion back to the skillet, add the cornstarch slurry, and cook until thick. Serve with sesame seeds and green onions.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Cut the eggplant into equal-sized slices. So they cook more evenly.
- Prefer softer eggplant? Pat dry the eggplant with paper towels and increase the cook time by 2 minutes.
- How about extra crispy eggplant? Pat dry the eggplant, then toss the slices in cornstarch before cooking.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the cooled eggplant in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To freeze: Transfer the eggplant to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to six months.
Reheating: Microwave in 30-second intervals or a skillet over medium-high heat until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can eat the skin as it’s quite thin and easy to cook.
Chinese eggplant has thinner skin, fewer seeds, and is usually a lighter purple color than other types of eggplant. The inside is also different, as it’s more pale in color and sweeter in flavor than regular eggplant.
More eggplant dishes
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Add the sesame oil to a large non-stick skillet or wok and place over medium heat. Add the eggplant and sauté for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Remove from the skillet.
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Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil, add the onion, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until translucent. Remove from the heat and add it to the eggplant.
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To the same skillet, add the remaining oil. Add garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds, and saute for two minutes, until fragrant.
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Add tomato sauce, sugar, Sriracha, sambal oelek, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water. Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat until it starts to thicken. While that’s simmering, combine the water with cornstarch to make a slurry.
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Add the eggplant and onion back to the skillet, then add the cornstarch slurry. Cook everything together until thick.
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Remove from the heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds and finely chopped scallions.
TO FREEZE: Transfer the eggplant to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to six months.
TO REHEAT: Microwave in 30-second intervals or a skillet over medium high heat until warm.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSodium: 1410mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 5gVitamin A: 165IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 20g
Originally published April 2023, updated and republished September 2024
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