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Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

This recipe for Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce is one of my favorite ways of cooking eggplant! Give it a try and enjoy it with a side of rice or rice noodles. 

I’m a huge eggplant fan as you probably have noticed from the many eggplant recipes I have on my blog, so I couldn’t miss this awesome Chinese eggplant recipe with sticky garlic sauce, as part of this month’s challenge of cooking vegan Asian recipes.

chinese eggplant with garlic sauce

Eggplant is a very popular vegetable used in recipes from all over the world. I find that the combination of eggplant and garlic is absolutely perfect, so when I discovered this popular Chinese recipe I immediately wanted to give it a try.

This recipe is quite different from other eggplant recipes I’ve tried in the past, as it has a different method of cooking eggplant as well as a unique type of garlic sauce. Salting the eggplant at the beginning of this recipe is a technique I’ve never used before. I usually buy young, small eggplants which are not that bitter, but apparently this method will help eliminate the bitterness of eggplants and make it taste even better.

asian chinese eggplant with garlic sauce

Also, patting it dry before salting and cooking improve the eggplant’s texture, making it slightly crispy. This is definitely something I’ll remember next time I cook with eggplants! 🙂

I recently found out that China is the world’s leading producer and consumer of eggplants, so they know how to cook this awesome veggie.

chinese eggplant with garlic sauce

The rest of the flavors blend so well together. The ginger adds some spiciness to the dish, the sauce is silky and sticky, the coconut sugar gives it a sweet taste and the garlic enhances everything! I just love everything about this recipe. You can also cook it in advance if you want to meal prep, as it can be stored in a container in the fridge for a couple of days and reheated.

You can eat this with rice noodles, rice, or maybe even put it in a burger bun and enjoy an amazing lunch!

chinese eggplant with sticky garlic sauce
chinese eggplant with garlic sauce vinete chinezesti cu sos de usturoi

Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Gourmandelle.com
This recipe for Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce is one of my favorite ways of cooking eggplant! Give it a try and enjoy it with a side of rice or rice noodles.
4.67 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Servings 2
Calories 394 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the eggplant:

  • 3 eggplant sliced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp tapioca flour
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ginger minced
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp green onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

For the sauce:

  • 1 tsp tapioca flour
  • 2 ½ tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tsp coconut sugar
  • ½ tbsp oil

Instructions
 

  • Spread the sliced eggplant on a paper towel. Sprinkle sea salt on both sides of the eggplant slices. Cover with another layer of paper towel and allow to rest for 45-60 minutes. Pat dry.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine all the sauce ingredient, mix well and set aside.
  • In a big bowl, combine dry eggplant with tapioca and mix to evenly coat every piece.
  • Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add oil.Spread the eggplant across the bottom of the pan in a single layer.
  • Fry the eggplant on both sides until all golden and soft, for about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a plate. Cook the remaining eggplant in batches.
  • In a large wok pan, heat a little bit more oil, add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
  • Add all the eggplant to the wok and pour the sauce over. Stir a few times, until the eggplant is evenly coated and the sauce thickens. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  • Top with chopped greens and serve with some rice noodles or rice on a side.

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 10gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 2444mgPotassium: 1688mgFiber: 22gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 357IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 3mg
Keyword eggplant, sesame
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recipe for chinese eggplant with garlic sauce

If you make this, please leave a review and rating if you liked this recipe! ★★★★★

Recipe Rating




TQ

Tuesday 29th of December 2020

When you indicate 3 large eggplant, do you mean large Italian eggplant or large Chinese/Japanese eggplant? I'd like to try and make this and want to get the right ones. Thanks.

TQ

Tuesday 29th of December 2020

Sorry, just figured it out. Don't need to reply, Ruxandra.

Ahnjalee

Sunday 29th of November 2020

It was very good, I used kamut floor as I did not have tapioca. But tasted so good.

Gail Wood

Saturday 7th of March 2020

Hi, this sounds great, but after I've salted my eggplant for other dishes, I always rinse the salt off then dry it so it's not too salty. Do you have any comments on that. Thanks. P.S. I'll definitely be trying your recipe, sounds so easy!

Ruxandra

Friday 3rd of April 2020

Hi, Gail. This technique is good for older, larger eggplants which can be bitter. I used smaller ones which don't have this issue. But of course, you can use this technique, just to be sure.

Diane N

Saturday 17th of August 2019

Can cornstarch be substituted for the tapioca flour?

Ruxandra Micu

Monday 7th of October 2019

Yes, but the texture will be different. Tapioca will make the sauce sticky and gooey, not just thick.

Erin

Friday 19th of July 2019

This was delicious! I did use a little too much salt on the first step of the eggplant - I will know better next time. Great flavor, enough sauce - perfect! Thank you!

Ruxandra Micu

Tuesday 23rd of July 2019

Hi, Erin! Glad you liked it! <3