Side Dishes
Chinese Eggplant with Ginger Sauce
With its smooth, glossy skin and meaty texture, eggplant is used in cooking preparations worldwide. Stop in China for an aromatic eggplant side dish simmered in a fresh ginger sauce. It’s worth seeking out Asian (also called Japanese) eggplant for its tender flesh, but common (or globe) eggplant works in a pinch. And while sweet basil can stand in for Thai basil, it simply won’t taste the same. Lastly, to make this vegetarian, just swap vegetable broth for chicken.
Ingredients
FOR THE EGGPLANT, CUT:
FOR THE SAUCE, WHISK:
Test Kitchen Tip
This sauce is full of umami, but for the most flavorful sauce, be sure to grate the fresh ginger.
Instructions
For the eggplant, cut eggplant into 4×1-inch sticks.
Cook eggplant in two batches in 2 Tbsp. peanut oil per batch in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, 4–5 minutes per batch; transfer to a plate.
For the sauce, whisk together broth, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, and pepper flakes; add to skillet and heat over medium.
Cook sauce until thickened, 1–2 minutes. Return eggplant to skillet, tossing to coat with sauce.
Stir in scallions and garnish eggplant with sesame seeds and basil. Serve eggplant with rice.
To cut sticks from the eggplant, first cut them in half crosswise, then slice lengthwise into sticks.
For great flavor, caramelize the eggplant sticks in two batches, flipping once until browned.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 241
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 779mg 32%
Carbs 22g 7%
Fiber 8g 32%
Protein 5g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.