Eggplant is a beloved food that people enjoy regularly in daily life. One of the most popular ways to prepare it is braised. Do you know how to make braised eggplant? Actually, there are different methods for braising eggplant, each yielding a distinct flavor.Today, we'll introduce four home-style braised eggplant recipes. Eggplant lovers, give them all a try!
Home-Style Braised Eggplant Recipes
Recipe 1 (Northeast Style)
Ingredients: 1 eggplant, 1 tomato, 1 scallion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 piece ginger, egg, cornstarch for thickening, salt, MSG, peanut oil, cooking wine, soy sauce, pepper, sugar.
Method:
Cut the eggplant into chunks, dice the tomato, slice the scallion and ginger into thin strips, and lightly crush the garlic cloves (known as "mashed garlic" in culinary terms). Heat 250ml oil in a wok over high heat. Coat the eggplant pieces in the batter (made with half an egg and 3g cornstarch) and deep-fry until golden brown.Remove and drain excess oil. Leave a small amount of oil in the wok. Add scallion and ginger shreds, along with crushed garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant. Add eggplant, then season with salt, MSG, cooking wine, soy sauce, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Pour in half a bowl of water and add tomato chunks. Simmer until thoroughly cooked to create this fragrant braised eggplant.
Method Two
Ingredients: 500g eggplant, 500g peanut oil (actual use: 40g), 25g soy sauce, 2g MSG, 3g salt, 10g cornstarch slurry, scallions, ginger, garlic (small amounts each).
Method
1. Peel and wash the eggplant. Cut into 3cm thick chunks. Score one side of each chunk with crisscross cuts spaced 0.3cm apart until fully scored. Cut into 3cm wide strips. Slice diagonally into 1cm thick slices. Set aside to air-dry for 1 hour.
2. Combine soy sauce, MSG, salt, minced scallions, ginger, garlic, cornstarch slurry, and 100g water to make the sauce.
3. Heat oil in a wok over high heat until it reaches 70% heat. Add eggplant slices and deep-fry, stirring frequently with a spatula. Remove when the skin turns crispy and golden brown, then drain thoroughly.
4. Drain most oil from wok, leaving a small amount. Reheat over high heat. Add garlic slices and fry until golden and fragrant. Pour in thickened sauce and eggplant slices. Stir until well combined and sauce thickens slightly.
Dish Characteristics: Bright red, glossy, and richly flavored.