My Chinese Recipe Menu
- How I Feel About This Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
- Story Behind Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
- Original Name
- Cooking Tips
- Cooking Time
- Ingredients to Make Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
- Food
- Seasonings
- How to Make Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
- Preparation
- Cooking
How I Feel About This Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
It’s a delicious dish, though its name is a bit amusing. The original Chinese name is Yu Xiang Qie Zi, which translates to "fish-flavored eggplant". Interestingly, it’s often called “eggplant with garlic sauce” in English, even though garlic isn’t the dominant flavor, and there’s no fish in it either!
In Chinese cuisine, Yu Xiang refers to a specific flavor profile, rather than the taste of fish. You might also recognize the same sauce in another dish called Yu Xiang Shredded Pork. Read the story and you would get the answer.
I’m not a big fan of the Yu Xiang flavor series, but I know it’s quite popular and many people associate Chinese food with these dishes. If you enjoy it, it’s easy to make at home. But as a foodie, I can tell you—there are plenty of other delicious Chinese dishes you should definitely try!
Story Behind Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
It is said that long ago, in the Dazhou area of Sichuan, there was a family of merchants who were very fond of eating fish and took great care in preparing their meals. When cooking fish, they would always use ingredients like scallions, ginger, garlic, wine, vinegar, and soy sauce to remove any fishy odor and enhance the flavor.
One evening, the lady of the house was cooking a different dish and didn’t want the leftover seasonings from the previous fish dish to go to waste. So, she decided to mix them into the dish she was making. She thought the dish might not turn out well, and she was worried about how to explain it to her husband when he returned. Just as she was lost in thought, her husband, who had been away on business, came home.
Whether it was due to hunger or the unique aroma of the dish, her husband grabbed a handful with his fingers and began eating before they had even set the table. Within a minute, he eagerly asked his wife what the dish was made from. Stumbling over her words, she was surprised to see him praising the dish repeatedly. When he asked again, “What is this delicious dish made from?” she finally explained the whole story.
This dish, made with the leftover seasonings used for cooking fish, had a flavor that lingered on the palate, which is why it was named Yu Xiang. Over the years, Sichuan locals improved upon the recipe, and it became a staple in Sichuan cuisine, giving rise to dishes like Yu Xiang Pork Liver, Yu Xiang Shredded Pork, Yu Xiang Eggplant, and Yu Xiang Mixed Vegetables.
Original Name
- Translated English Name: Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
- Original Chinese Pronunciation: Yu Xiang Qie Zi 鱼香茄子
Note: You may use the Chinese name to order in China because the translated English name of the dishes might be different in every restaurant.
Cooking Tips
- Make the sauce before cooking so it won't be a mess
Cooking Time
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Ingredients
Serving: 2
Food
Eggplant — 2 pieces
Ground Pork — 100g/3.5oz
Scallion — 3 stalks
Ginger — 2 pieces
Garlic — 3 cloves
Chili — 1 piece
Water — 1 cup
Seasonings
Oil — 3 tbsp
Dark Soy Sauce — 1/2 tbsp
Light Soy Sauce — 2 tbsp
Chinese Black Vinegar — 1 tbsp
Oyster Sauce — 1 tbsp
Sugar — 1 tbsp
Cornstarch — 1 tbsp
Douban Sauce — 1 tbsp
How to Cook Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
Preparation
1. Cut the eggplant into long strips
2. Cut the scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers into mince
3. Make the Yu Xiang Sauce: mix dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water until well combined.
Cooking
1. Add oil in a pan and then add the eggplant. Fry until the edges turn slightly golden.
2. Leave a little oil in the pan and stir-fry the ground pork until it turns white.
3. Add the chopped scallions(half), ginger, garlic, and chili peppers, and stir-fry until fragrant.
4. Add Douban sauce and stir well.
7. Add the fried eggplant to the pan, making this dish a perfect appetite stimulant.
8. Pour in the Yu Xiang Sauce and simmer for one to two minutes until the sauce gets thicker.
9. Garnish with chopped scallions and here you go.
