Sichuan Eggplant (Fish-Fragrant Eggplant)

This week I taught a Sichuan cooking class at ICE in Manhattan, and one of the many great recipes we did was a Sichuan eggplant recipe I first posted in October, 2008. And I thought, why not revisit fish-fragrant eggplant on this blog too? With an aromatic sauce made with chili bean paste, soy sauce, black vinegar, and Sichuan pepper, this dish has proven to be irresistible, even to people who claim to not like eggplant. So why “fish-fragrant”, you ask? Well, there’s no seafood in the dish, but read on to find out…

Eggplant is one of those vegetables that almost begs for strong, pungent spices and sauces. And one of the most popular vegetable dishes in Sichuan cooking is “fish-fragrant eggplant”, an unfortunate literal translation of the Chinese name (???? yuxiang qiezi) without the cultural nuance. You see, it doesn’t actually smell or taste like fish. Rather, the name refers to method of preparation usually associated with fish in Sichuan cuisine that results in hot, sour, salty, and sweet flavors all co-mingling on the plate.

Some versions use dried red chilis for spiciness, while others use ground chili flakes. Some recipes written for the overseas market eschew Sichuan peppercorn, since the ingredient may be hard to find. I like to use both Sichuan peppercorn and ??? (dou ban jiang), a chili bean paste with fava beans that you may recall from some other Sichuan dishes like dry-fried green beans and twice-cooked pork. Vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar complete the four-flavors balance, with additional seasonings for background support.

Rather than deep-frying, like many other recipes call for, I like to use just a bit of oil and stir-fry until the outsides are golden brown. This seems to result in a less oily, but still flavorful, eggplant dish. For meatier oomph, you can also add a bit of minced pork and stir-fry it with the garlic and ginger.

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Sichuan Fish-Fragrant Eggplant

Serves 4 as part of multi-course meal

1 1/2 pounds Asian eggplant
2 tablespoons chicken stock, or substitute water
2 tablespoons chili bean paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar, or substitute good-quality balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise, then slice each length into quarters. Cut each quarter in somewhat substantial, but still bite-sized, cubes (about 1 1/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch cubes).Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the chicken stock, chili bean paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, and sugar. Set aside.Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl the pan to coat the base and sides. Add the eggplants and stir-fry until outsides become golden brown and insides begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorn and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce mixture and mix well. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the eggplant to full cook and the sauce to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat, plate, and sprinkle scallions on top.

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Other Asian eggplant recipes to try:

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Tagged as: Chinese, Recipes, Sichuan, Vegetarian

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