At Si Chuan Dou Hua, executive chef Zeng Feng is a native from the southwestern Chinese province. The Sichuan chef shares that to make this traditional braised eggplant dish, one of the key elements to note is to get the oil used to cook the eggplants as hot as possible. A good gauge, he says, is to heat the oil up to around 180˚C before adding in the eggplants. This will help the dark purple fruit be crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside.
Below, his recipe to make at home:
Below, his recipe to make at home:
Executive Sichuan chef Zeng Feng demonstrates how to cook braised eggplant.
Ingredients
250 grams eggplant, sliced
50 grams minced pork
Seasonings
30 grams spicy bean paste
10 grams ginger
10 grams garlic
10 grams onion
10 grams black vinegar
15 grams granulated sugar
2 grams chicken powder
5 grams Chinese wine
5 grams sesame oil
1 gram black pepper
100 grams clear stock
Moderate amount of salt and corn starch
250 grams eggplant, sliced
50 grams minced pork
Seasonings
30 grams spicy bean paste
10 grams ginger
10 grams garlic
10 grams onion
10 grams black vinegar
15 grams granulated sugar
2 grams chicken powder
5 grams Chinese wine
5 grams sesame oil
1 gram black pepper
100 grams clear stock
Moderate amount of salt and corn starch
The temperature of the oil when cooking the eggplants should ideally be around 180˚C.
Method
1. Heat the oil in the pot to 180˚C.
2. Add in the sliced eggplants and stir-fry until cooked. Remove eggplants from the pot.
3. Add the spicy bean paste, garlic, onion and ginger into the oil and fry until fragrant.
4. Fry the minced pork and make sure there is no excess water. Add the clear stock to the fried minced pork and let it come to a boil.
5. Add the remaining seasonings of sugar, salt, pepper, chicken powder, sesame oil, Chinese wine and black vinegar.
6. Add in the cooked eggplants and stir-fry the mixture.
7. Add corn starch to thicken the mixture. Garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately and enjoy while it is hot!
1. Heat the oil in the pot to 180˚C.
2. Add in the sliced eggplants and stir-fry until cooked. Remove eggplants from the pot.
3. Add the spicy bean paste, garlic, onion and ginger into the oil and fry until fragrant.
4. Fry the minced pork and make sure there is no excess water. Add the clear stock to the fried minced pork and let it come to a boil.
5. Add the remaining seasonings of sugar, salt, pepper, chicken powder, sesame oil, Chinese wine and black vinegar.
6. Add in the cooked eggplants and stir-fry the mixture.
7. Add corn starch to thicken the mixture. Garnish with spring onion. Serve immediately and enjoy while it is hot!
This story was written by Tang Jie and translated by Meryl Koh. Click here for the original version.
