Crave-worthy Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce (Easy Stir Fry Recipe) - Nurtured Homes (2024)

There are so many incredible recipes that you can make with eggplant. It really is such a versatile plant food. Here’s one of my favorite ways to cook eggplant : Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce.

How to Make Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

• Prep the eggplant. Use either Chinese eggplant or regular eggplant; wash the eggplant, trim any stems or leaves, and then chop into bite size pieces.
• Prep the garlic and ginger. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Peel and grate the fresh ginger.
• Prepare the wok. Heat one tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok over high heat.
• Fry the eggplant. Add the eggplant and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
• Fry the remaining ingredients. Using the same wok, add the remaining peanut oil, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
• Fry the eggplant again. Return the eggplant to the wok.
• Add the soy sauce mixture. Stir in the prepared soy sauce mixture (see below for detailed instructions on making the sauce).
• Fry. Continue to stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic sauce has thickened.
• Serve. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve immediately.

How to Make the Soy Sauce Mixture

In order to make the garlic sauce, you’ll have to prepare this tasty soy sauce mixture beforehand:

• Combine the ingredients. Add the soy sauce, honey, water, and sesame oil to a small bowl and mix to combine.
• Set aside. Set the sauce to the side until you’re ready to add it into the stir fry.

3 Tips for Better Stir Frys

• Heat up the wok properly. One of the most important things to keep in mind when making any kind of stir fry dish is to make sure that your wok is hot enough. High heat is an essential for this recipe.
• Thaw before cooking. This tip mainly applies if you’re going to be stir frying meat along with your veggies. You never want to stir fry any type of frozen food as it will lower the temperature of your wok. See tip number one above for why this is important; simply thaw any frozen food out at room temperature for about 20-25 minutes before frying to avoid this issue.
• Stir often. There’s a reason why it’s called a stir-fry; make sure that you’re actually frequently stirring your ingredients. Focus on moving the ingredients in and out of the centre of the pan frequently; this will help to ensure that everything is being cooked evenly.

Are Stir Fry Dishes Healthy?

Stir fry dishes can be healthy, so long as you’re making them with wholesome, real food ingredients like with this recipe.

Considering most stir fry dishes are made with various combinations of meats and vegetables, they’re quite a nutrient-dense meal.

With that being said, the number one tip that I can give you is to avoid using any type of vegetable seed oil in your stir fry dishes. Their high omega-6 content can actually increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. (1)

That’s not to say omega-6 fats are inherently bad. You just need to keep an optimal ratio between your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6. A 1:1 ratio is ideal but many people have an intake ratio of 1:15 instead. (2)

Can I Freeze This Chinese Eggplant Stir Fry?

You can indeed freeze this Chinese eggplant stir fry.

Just make sure that you’re letting it cool completely before you transfer it into a freezer-safe airtight container. You can safely keep most varieties of eggplant frozen for 1-2 months.

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More Good Eggplant Recipes:

• Garlic and Chive Grilled Eggplant
• OMG-worthy Eggplant Lasagna
• Parmesan Crusted Fried Eggplant Slices with Garlic Aioli Dipping Sauce
• Sheet Pan Garlic Roasted Eggplant
• Rustic (and Easy) Baked Eggplant Parmesan