Chinese Eggplant Stir-Fry

Simple, yet spectacularly flavourful, this salty-sweet Chinese Eggplant Stir-fry will win over even the most avowed eggplant haters. Serve with coconut rice for a healthy and satisfying meal that is perfect for a weeknight. 

This may just be the finest example of how filling, satisfying, delicious, and easy a plant based meal can be. The mix of flavours and textures in this dish is absolutely spectacular and addictive. No exaggeration. If eggplant has always tasted meh to you, or seemed too complicated to get right, this recipe will 100% prove otherwise, and make you crave it, too.

The only downside to this dish is that it may not be the most kid-friendly. Save it for a date night evening, or to treat yourself on a solo evening because you do not want to miss out. This dish is truly a joy to eat.

Chinese Eggplant Stir-fry Recipe

Vegetables tossed in Asian-inspired, soy-glazed sauces are always irresistible to me. While I can’t claim this dish is authentic, it has certainly become one of my favourites. So easy to throw together, it truly saves the day when there is little time to cook but you still want something healthy and delicious.

The premise of this Chinese eggplant stir-fry recipe is very simple. Coat eggplant pieces with a bit of cornstarch then place on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Pop it in a very hot oven to roast until tender.

While the eggplant roasts, sauté the aromatics: shallots, ginger, garlic, and chilis. Make a simple but bold, savoury-sweet sauce. Combine the eggplant pieces with the sauce. As the sauce cooks in the hot pan, it caramelizes into a sticky coating that clings to the tender eggplant giving it a gorgeous, glossy finish.

The Chinese eggplant stir-fry pairs amazingly well with coconut rice and though some protein would be a nice addition to this meal, I find I never miss it. Just try it once as is, and you’ll see what I mean. This is a simple, nutritious and utterly delicious weeknight dish that is an absolute treat.

What Is The Best Eggplant For This Dish?

Chinese eggplants, sometimes referred to as Japanese, are preferred for this recipe. They have a more delicate flavour, are less bitter, and become creamy-tender when cooked. Even when soft and tender, this eggplant will stand up well to the assertive flavours of the sauce.

In Ontario, you can find Chinese eggplants at most Asian markets or fully stocked grocery stores. I always have luck finding them here.

If you can only find the larger globe eggplants go ahead and grab those. However, if using globe eggplants, consider brining them in salted water. Brining will draw out any bitterness and also helps the meatier-textured eggplant cook faster.

To Brine: Place 4 cups of water in a large bowl and whisk in 1 tablespoon salt (I use kosher salt). Add the chopped eggplant pieces (add more water to cover, if needed) and let brine for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse the eggplant and thoroughly pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Proceed with recipe.

Best Way To Cook Eggplant

I prefer to roast the eggplant for this recipe which is arguably one of easiest and best ways to cook eggplant. This is because the notoriously spongy eggplant will absorb less oil if roasted, as opposed to pan-fried. And because we use quite a bit of eggplant here, it is also a faster method to get all of the eggplant cooked.

Coating the eggplant in cornstarch is a common method for stir-frying it so it doesn’t absorb a lot of oil. Here we are also coating it in cornstarch to roast it. I find the cornstarch makes the eggplant extra crispy in the hot oven and later imparts a silky texture to the sauce.

If you prefer to pan-fry the eggplant, make sure you do this in batches to ensure the eggplant stays as crispy as possible. You can find instructions for pan-frying the eggplant in the recipe notes.

Ingredients And Notes

• Eggplant: I use 4 Chinese (also known as Japanese) eggplants for this Chinese eggplant stir-fry recipe. When roasted, the eggplant really reduces in volume so even if it seems like too much, it really sin’t. In fact, you could probably use 5 or 6 without having to increase the sauce.
• Cornstartch: A light dusting of cornstarch, or tapioca flour, helps the eggplant stay crispier.
• Aromatics: A combination of shallots, ginger, garlic and one or two red eye chiles (optional) provide deep, Asian-style flavours to this dish.
• Green onions: We use chopped green onions (scallions) in the stir fry and also to garnish the dish.
• Sweetener: A bit of sweetness is essential to balance all the flavours. I like to use maple syrup which adds a lovely glossiness to the sauce. You can use any other sweetener of your choice.
• Toasted sesame oil: Umami-packed toasted sesame oil lends the distinctive nutty flavour to this dish.
• Low-sodium soy sauce: Use Tamari for a gluten-free dish.
• Rice vinegar: Provides the much needed acidity in this soy-based sauce.
• Hoisin sauce: I don’t always add it, but if you have some in your pantry, it adds more sweet-tangy flavours to the eggplant.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime to finish is crucial to the success of this Chinese eggplant stir-fry. It adds a little tartness and brightness that helps cut the saltiness of the soy.
• Chopped peanuts: For a bit of addictive crunch (optional – but delicious).

How To Make Chinese Eggplant Stir-fry

It is worth noting this dish is not supposed to be super saucy. The sauce is just enough to coat, and assertively flavor, the eggplant. If you want a bit more sauce, you will have to double it.

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Trim eggplant and cut into 1-inch pieces; toss with cornstarch in a large bowl. Drizzle a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil and spread it evenly with your hand. Place the baking sheet in the hot oven for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove hot pan from oven and carefully spread the eggplant pieces in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, or until soft and tender. If your eggplant pieces are larger (meatier), you may need to flip halfway through and cook a few minutes longer.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Once hot, add shallots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the garlic, ginger, and chiles (if using). Cook, stirring frequently, for another minute, or so.
3. While the shallots are cooking, whisk the soy sauce, water, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and hoisin sauce (if using) together in a small bowl.
4. Stir the soy sauce mixture into the skillet, and simmer for 1 minute. Add in the roasted eggplant and sliced scallions and stir to coat with sauce, cooking everything for 1 more minute. Serve hot over coconut rice, or plain steamed white rice. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if using, and sliced green scallions.

Variations

If you wish, you can add tofu to this Chinese eggplant stir-fry. You will want to bake the tofu in a separate baking sheet, using the same method as the eggplant. Or check out this recipe for more guidance on how to get your tofu nice and crispy.

If you don’t want to use eggplant, cauliflower or broccoli (or a mix) will also work.

More Stir-Fry Recipes To Try

Tofu and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

Black Pepper Chicken Stir-Fry

Cashew Chicken and Broccoli

If  you give this Chinese Eggplant Stir-fry a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!