Sichuan Eggplant
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- Serves: 4
- Preparation: 15
- Cooking: 20
- Ready: 35
Turn up the heat with this spicy vegan flavour bomb, perfect for warming up in the cooler weather.
Ingredients
- 500 g eggplant (aubergine)
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon spicy bean paste
- 10 Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fresh coriander (for garnish)
- 1 red chilli (for garnish)
For the sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Method
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a medium size bowl, then set aside. Cut the eggplant into strips, then set aside. Mince the ginger.
Heat the oil in a wok or a large pan on a low heat. Add the Sichuan peppercorns, frying for about 15 seconds to release the flavours. Add the ginger and spicy bean paste to the wok or pan. Stir fry until the red oil separates from the paste – this takes about 20 seconds.
Turn up the heat and add the eggplant to the wok. Fry until it becomes soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the sauce mixture to the wok or pan, mix well and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Transfer the eggplant onto a serving plate, sprinkle coriander and chilli over the dish as a garnish, and serve immediately.
Additonal notes
To celebrate No Meat May’s 10-year anniversary, this recipe is shared courtesy of Veg Kit. No Meat May is an Australian initiative challenging people to eliminate animal products from their diet for the month of May.
“This soul-warming and spicy Sichuan-style eggplant is a favourite of our head chef Brooke Ng. The ultimate comfort food, her grandma would make it for her when she was young.”
