Sichuan-Style Fish-Fragrant Eggplant

Name: Sichuan-Style Fish-Fragrant Eggplant
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: CHINESE
Ingredients: Kosher salt; 1 lb. (450 g/3 to 4 medium) Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut for stir-fries; 2 tsp. cornstarch; 2 tsp. Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar; 2 tsp. pickling liquid from homemade or store-bought pickled chiles; 2 tsp. light soy sauce or shoyu; 1 tsp. dark soy sauce; 1 Tbs. sugar; 2 Tbs. homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock or water; Pinch of kosher salt; Pinch of MSG (optional); 1 tsp. cornstarch; 6 Tbs. (3 fl. oz./90 ml) peanut, rice bran or other neutral oil; 2 Tbs. minced garlic (about 6 medium cloves); 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger (about 1/2-inch segment); 1 Tbs. Sichuan chile broad bean paste (doubanjiang); 1 tsp. minced homemade or store-bought pickled chiles (optional); 2 scallions, whites and pale green parts cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) segments, dark green parts thinly sliced, for garnish; Small handful of chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

For the follow-up to his acclaimed technique-focused book The Food Lab, chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt wrote an ode to one of the most versatile kitchen tools of them all: the wok. In this recipe from that book, The Wok, Kenji builds a flavorful dish from eggplant that’s quickly brined and then stir-fried in a pungent sauce. “While this dish is called ‘fish-fragrant’ (yuxiang), it contains no seafood,” he explains. “Rather, the name is a reference to the flavors of pickled chiles and garlic that are commonly paired with seafood. You stir-fry eggplant until smoky and tender, then toss it with a quick sauce made with chiles, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and sometimes minced pork, for a flavor-packed dish that comes together in one wok with minimal effort.” For a milder version of this dish, Kenji says you can omit the pickled chiles.

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Ingredients:

For the eggplant:

Kosher salt
1 lb. (450 g/3 to 4 medium) Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut for stir-fries
2 tsp. cornstarch

For the sauce:

2 tsp. Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. pickling liquid from homemade or store-bought pickled chiles
2 tsp. light soy sauce or shoyu
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
1 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock or water
Pinch of kosher salt
Pinch of MSG (optional)
1 tsp. cornstarch

For the stir-fry:

6 Tbs. (3 fl. oz./90 ml) peanut, rice bran or other neutral oil
2 Tbs. minced garlic (about 6 medium cloves)
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger (about 1/2-inch segment)
1 Tbs. Sichuan chile broad bean paste (doubanjiang)
1 tsp. minced homemade or store-bought pickled chiles (optional)
2 scallions, whites and pale green parts cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) segments, dark green parts thinly sliced, for garnish
Small handful of chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

For the eggplant: Combine 1/2 cup (120 g) kosher salt with 2 quarts (2 l) water in a medium bowl. Add the eggplant pieces, cover with a clean paper towel, press down to soak the paper towel in brine and set aside to soak for at least 10 and up to 20 minutes. Drain the eggplant and spin in a salad spinner or blot dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with the cornstarch and toss with your fingertips until lightly coated. Set aside.

While the eggplant soaks, make the sauce: Combine the vinegar, pickled chile liquid, soy sauces, sugar, stock or water, salt, MSG and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix with a fork until no lumps remain. Set aside.

Before you stir-fry, get your bowls ready, one for each:

a. Brined eggplant
b. Garlic, ginger, chile broad bean paste, scallions and pickled chiles (if using)
c. Sauce
d. Empty bowl for cooked ingredients
e. Serving platter

For the stir-fry: Heat a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the oil and swirl to coat. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the eggplant and spread into a single layer. Cook, turning the eggplant occasionally, until softened and well browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to an empty bowl and set aside.

Return the wok to high heat until lightly smoking. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic, ginger, chile paste, scallion whites and pale greens, and pickled chiles and stir-fry until fragrant and the oil has become dark red from the bean paste, about 30 seconds. Stir the sauce and add it to the wok by swirling it around the sides. Stir-fry until the sauce is thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds.

Return the eggplant to the wok and toss to coat in the sauce (if the sauce overthickens and becomes gloppy, thin it out with a splash or water). Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the scallion greens and chopped fresh cilantro leaves and serve. Serves 4.

Reprinted from The Wok. Copyright © 2022 by J. Kenji López-Alt. Published by W.W. Norton & Company.

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