Eggplant in Hunan Style

With the popularity of “Meatless Mondays” as well as some folks avoiding meat on Fridays during Lent, it seems wise to boost the number of vegetarian meals that are in my recipe box.  This recipe for Eggplant in Hunan Style fills that category and is very flavorful.

The “Cooking for Friends” column by Jinx and Jefferson Morgan in the January 1986 issue of Bon Appétit detailed a make-ahead Chinese dinner that featured this eggplant stir-fry.  The prep for the dish can be done well ahead of serving time, and then you only need about 5 minutes to stir-fry the ingredients.  This vegetarian dish combines salt, sweetness, acid, and the zing of chili sauce.

Preparing the Eggplant

While the original recipe called for 6 tablespoons of oil for various steps of the dish, I was able to reduce the amount used by half.  I did this in part by baking the cubed eggplant first, instead of stir-frying it.  This is a technique I’ve used before for eggplant in ratatouille with good results.

 It seemed like this approach would work here, and it did. Baking the eggplant cubes is the step of the recipe that can be done hours (even a couple of days) ahead of time.

Time to Stir-Fry

Once the eggplant is prepared, it takes just minutes to stir-fry the dish. One key to the success of the stir-fry is having all the vegetables chopped and ready to go.  The sauce that combines soy, sugar, broth, and Sriracha will provide a lot of the flavor. 

Hunan-style dishes are known for their use of chiles to add heat. While I used the recommended 1 tablespoon of chili paste, you can adjust the amount to your palate.  The dish definitely had the zing of chile pepper!

I also added toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro to the dish. These accentuate the sesame oil that finishes the eggplant and give a bit of color to the meal.

The texture of the eggplant is velvety, but the sauce that it’s wrapped in is complex. Its notes of acid and bit of sweetness are great counterpoints to the spicy flavor. We enjoyed this served with steamed brown rice.

Eggplant in Hunan Style

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

Spicy vegetarian eggplant stir-fry

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

For the garnish

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

For the eggplant

• 1 1½ pound eggplant cut into 1 inch cubes (unpeeled)
• 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
• ¼ cup. water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the stir-fry

• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce or chili paste with garlic or to taste
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock*
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions green and white parts included
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

 

For the garnish

• Using a small skillet over medium low heat, dry roast the sesame seeds until they reach a light golden brown color. Remove from heat to a small dish and reserve.

For the eggplant

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cubed eggplant with 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil to coat pieces well. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Place in baking dish that is just large enough to hold the pieces, add water, cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool. This can be done several hours ahead of time.

For the stir-fry

• Mix together chicken stock, Sriracha, soy sauce, and sugar in small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and cook for 15 seconds, being careful not to overcook and burn.
• Add chicken stock mixture and stir well. Bring to a boil.
• Add vinegar and eggplant. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, allowing eggplant to absorb some of liquid.
• Add green onions. Toss for an additional minute.
• Remove from heat. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro. Serve hot.

Notes

*To make a vegetarian version of the dish, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

The eggplant cubes can be baked up to two days ahead of time. Cool, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.  Return to room temperature before cooking with sauce.

We served the eggplant over brown rice; white rice would work equally well. If you use a soy sauce that does not have gluten in it, this recipe is gluten-free.

Adapted from Jinx and Jefferson Morgan, Bon Appétit (Jan. 1986)