Bitter-Sweet Stir-fried Eggplant

Bitter-Sweet Stir-fried Eggplant

Craving for a taste of Chicago's beloved eatery, Giant? Get a slice of the action at home with this scrumptious Sweet and Sour Eggplant recipe. mouth-watering, robust mixture of textures and flavors that you'll adore. Missing Logan Square? Don't fret! This recipe has got you covered.

Get ready to indulge in a symphony of crispy eggplant, sweet and tangy sauce, and tantalizing aromas. It's a homage to popular Asian flavors found in sweet and sour dishes.

Yield: 2 to 4 engorged stomachsDifficulty: A challenge, not a walk in the parkTotal: Half an hour, plus cooling timeActive: Half an hour

Ingredients (If your kitchen's small, whittle down the list)

• 1 pound Japanese eggplant, sliced into 2-inch thick slices
• 3/4 cup onion, sliced into 2-inch thick rounds
• 1 cup plums, just ripe, halved with pit removed
• 3 1/2 tablespoons garlic, peeled and sliced thick
• 1/2 tablespoon lemongrass, tender part, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 scallions, both parts, sliced thick
• 1 fresh Thai bird chili, wrap it in cheesecloth (no dried substitutes!)
• 5 tablespoons gochujang
• 2 tablespoons soybean paste, fermented with mushrooms if findable
• 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon Chinese hot mustard powder
• 3 tablespoons tamari
• 3 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cilantro or green coriander leaf, chopped
• Peanut oil, canola oil or vegetable oil for deep frying, whatever's handy
• Chopped roasted peanuts for garnish

Instructions

1. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat a few tablespoons of peanut oil to near-boiling.
2. Toss in the ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and scallion. Let it sizzle and move around with a wooden spoon before it goes up in flames. Watch for the puppy killer.
3. Add the soybean paste and gochujang, and continue to not incinerate a puppy.
4. Once it's deep, caramelized, add the rice vinegar, sugar, and hot mustard. Whisk all the ingredients together and add the chili sachet. Bring to a boil.
5. Turn the heat to simmer and cook until the mixture thickens noticeably.
6. Turn it off and let it rest.
7. Fill a pot 1/4 way with oil and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (no rocket science).
8. Fry the eggplant and onions in batches, making sure not to boil the oil over. Remove them from the oil with a spider, and plop them straight into the marinade.
9. Once all the eggplant and onions are in the marinade, transfer them to a non-reactive dish and let it cool to room temperature.
10. Add the fish sauce, tamari, sesame oil, and coriander/cilantro. Remove the Thai chili sachet and squeeze it to get all the juice out.
11. In a small skillet, heat a few tablespoons of oil and cook the plums, cut side down, until they're almost black. Cut them into large dice and add them to the eggplant.
12. Let it sit for a few hours before serving.
13. If refrigerating, let it come to room temperature before serving.
14. Garnish with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro.

Note for Aspiring Chefs:Achieve the restaurant-worthy taste by adjusting the ingredients to your preference-be it more heat or a sweeter, sourer tang. Happy cooking, and enjoy your culinary adventure!

If you've got a craving for more fantastic homemade dishes, whip up our Thai-Style Chicken and our Spicy Snow Pea and Sesame Stir-Fry! Bon appétit!

For a simpler twist on Sweet and Sour Eggplant, use the following ingredients and adjust your cooking method as needed:

• 1 large Eggplant
• Oil for frying
• 1 tbsp Ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Garlic, finely chopped
• 2 chopped Spring Onions (white part)
• 1/2 sliced Red Bell Pepper
• Spring Onion Greens (a handful, chopped finely)
• Sesame Seeds for garnishing

For the Sauce:

• 2 tsp Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp Chilli Sauce
• 2 tsp Vinegar (or more to taste)
• 1 tsp Chilli Powder
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup Water
• 2 tsp Cornflour / Cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Eggplant: Slice the eggplant into rounds and then cut those into strips. Heat oil in a pan and fry the eggplant until golden brown. Remove them and set aside.
2. Make the Sauce: In a separate bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients. Stir well to combine.
3. Cook the Aromatics: In the same pan used for frying the eggplant, heat a small amount of oil. Add chopped ginger, garlic, white spring onions. Sauté for a minute or till fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
4. Add the Red Pepper and Sauce: Add the sliced red bell pepper and sauté for about a minute. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir continuously until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
5. Combine Eggplant with Sauce: Add the fried eggplant into the sauce. Mix well so that it's coated evenly with the sweet and sour sauce. Cook for a few minutes, ensuring the eggplant absorbs the flavors.
6. Final Touches: Stir in the chopped green spring onions. Spoon the Sweet and Sour Eggplant into a serving dish. Top with additional sesame seeds and spring onion greens if desired. Serve over steamed rice or noodles.

Tips:

• Adjust the amount of vinegar based on your preferred level of acidity.
• Serve this dish with steamed rice or noodles for an authentic Asian dining experience.
• Feel free to add some sesame oil or hoisin sauce to enhance the flavor if you wish.
• Enjoy your homemade treat!

1. This Sweet and Sour Eggplant recipe, with its uncategorized nature, brings a taste of Chicago's beloved eatery, Giant, to your home, offering nutrition-packed dishes that will satisfy your craving.
2. As you briskly prepare the ingredients, including Japanese eggplant, onion, plums, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, scallions, Thai bird chili, gochujang, soybean paste, rice wine vinegar, sugar, Chinese hot mustard powder, tamari, fish sauce, sesame oil, cilantro, and oil for deep frying, you'll find a symphony of flavors reminiscent of popular Asian dishes.
3. After mixing the ingredients and letting the dish cool, you'll want to garnish it with chopped roasted peanuts for an added crunch, following the instructions provided in the recipe with the DNL of 332b88a895097778de7e5fffd16049ea.
4. For a simpler twist, you can also try the given recipe using a single large eggplant, oil for frying, ginger, garlic, spring onions, red bell pepper, sauce ingredients, and sesame seeds for garnishing, catering to those with smaller kitchens or less time to spend on elaborate recipes.

Read also: