Hot and Sour Eggplant 酸辣茄子 is made using a very common method of traditional Chinese cooking. Using this method, you steam the main ingredient and pour hot oil and sauce over it. You can apply this method of cooking to lettuce, cucumbers, tofu, pork, fish or just about anything. For example, fish is made by first steaming it, adding soy sauce and then pouring a hot oil on it.
Hot and sour style of seasoning is especially popular in Northern China, where they use a lot of peppers, chilies and black vinegar; served hot or cold. This method of cooking can preserve the natural colours, preserve the textures, give it a smooth finish, and heighten the aromas of the food.
The earliest record of cultivating eggplant dates back to 59 BC in Chengdu. Besides food, eggplant also has medicinal properties according to traditional Chinese medicine. Eggplant is a remedy to a wide array of ailments. It can combat heatiness, heal hemorrhoids, prevent cancers, decrease cholesterol and is even anti-aging! After reading all of this, I will definitely be adding more eggplant to my diet! (If using eggplant for medicinal purposes, please consult a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine first).
My recipe for Hot and Sour Eggplant 酸辣茄子 shows you how to make eggplant with the perfect texture (I’m not a fan of eggplant that is too soft). The sauce for the recipe is my absolute favorite! You can make this sauce and use it on anything you want, I highly recommend it! You’ll probably be seeing this sauce again on some of my other recipes as I can’t seem to have enough of it.
If you’re looking for more dinner ideas, try my Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐 or my Shoestring Potatoes and Pork Stir-fry 土豆絲炒豬肉.
Hot and Sour Eggplant 酸辣茄子
Ingredients
- 1 Japanese eggplant (approx. 200g)
- 1 stalk Green onions
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 Shallot
- 2 Thai chilies
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 1 ½ tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (or any black vinegar)
I use Chinkiang vinegar aka Zhenjiang vinegar
Instructions
- Cut eggplant into strips
I chose to peel my eggplant because the skin was getting a bit wrinkly. You can use any kind of eggplant 
- Arrange the eggplant in one layer and steam at high for 20-30 minutes or until cooked
- When the eggplant is steaming, prepare the sauce
- Chop green onions, garlic, shallot and Thai chilies. Set aside
- Combine 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp oyster sauce and 2 tbsp Zhenjiang vinegar in a bowl and set aside
- When eggplant is done, place them in a serving plate, drain and discard any liquids and set aside
- In a sauce pan or small pot, add 2 tbsp oil and turn heat on to medium-high
- Add garlic and shallots to the pot and cook until shallots are soft. Add Thai chilies
- Add premixed sauces to the pot. Mix well and bring to a simmer
- Pour the sauce over the eggplant
- Sprinkle chopped green onions and serve
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