Fish-fragrant eggplant
Serves 6-8
Probably as famous as ma po doufu, fish-fragrant eggplant from Sichuan is another classic. There’s no fish in this dish – the name refers to the hot, sweet, sour and spicy flavours that are used in Sichuan-style seafood dishes. The eggplant is typically served buttery soft, although recently some Sichuan restaurants have been coating it with a light dusting of cornflour before deep-frying and serving it crisp and crunchy.
1 teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
100 ml (3½ fl oz) chicken stock
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2 eggplants (aubergines), cut into finger-sized strips
4 spring onions (scallions), white part only, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1–2 tablespoons doubanjiang (Sichuan chilli bean paste)
2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon potato flour, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Thinly sliced spring onion (scallions), to garnish
Mix the sugar, Chinkiang vinegar and chicken stock in a bowl and set aside.
Heat oil for deep-frying in a wok over medium–high heat to 180°C (350°F) or until it begins to smoke. Add the eggplant in batches and deep-fry for 3–4 minutes per batch until just golden on the outside and soft inside. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto paper towel to drain.
Carefully pour the oil into a heatproof container (reserve for another use). Wipe out the wok with paper towel, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil and place over medium heat. Add the spring onions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the doubanjiang and stir-fry until fragrant; if the wok gets too hot, reduce the heat or lift it off the stove briefly.
Return the eggplant to the wok, deglaze the pan with Shaoxing rice wine, then add the vinegar–chicken stock mixture. Reduce the heat and simmer until the stock is reduced slightly.
Add the potato flour mixture and stir gently until the sauce thickens. Transfer to a serving platter, scatter with spring onions and serve.