Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
Crispy pan-fried eggplant tossed in a savory-sweet garlic sauce, this is one of my favorite ways to cook eggplant. Serve it over rice or rice noodles for an easy plant-based meal.
Ingredients
For the eggplant:
- 3 eggplant sliced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp tapioca flour for coating
- 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 for the sauce
- 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 let rest for 45-60 minutes. Pat dry.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine all the sauce ingredients, mix well, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry eggplant with the tapioca flour and toss to evenly coat every piece.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the oil. Spread the eggplant across the bottom of the pan in a single layer.
- Fry the eggplant on both sides until golden and soft, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate and cook the remaining eggplant in batches.
- In a large wok, heat a little more oil, add the ginger and garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Add all the eggplant to the wok and pour the sauce over it. Stir a few times, until the eggplant is evenly coated and the sauce thickens. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Top with the chopped greens and serve with rice noodles or rice on the side.
Notes
For the best texture, salt the eggplant for the full 45-60 minutes to draw out excess moisture before frying. Swap the soy sauce for tamari to keep the dish gluten-free. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a hot pan so the eggplant stays tender rather than soggy.