Spicy and Sweet Stir-Fried Eggplant (Yuxiang Eggplant) Recipe
Yuxiang Eggplant Stir-fry
Introducing ‘Yuxiang Eggplant Stir-fry,’ a delightful summer dish featuring tender eggplant! This recipe combines soft eggplant with flavorful ground pork and aromatic mushrooms, all coated in a savory and slightly spicy ‘Yuxiang’ sauce. It’s an addictive dish that pairs perfectly with rice. This recipe is easy to follow and will help you create an impressive meal that everyone will love.
Main Ingredients- 2 medium eggplants
- 300g ground pork
- 3 enoki mushrooms (or shiitake mushrooms)
- 1/2 large green onion
Basic Seasonings & Aromatics- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp chili oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 3 Tbsp chili oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables. Wash the eggplants thoroughly, trim off the ends, and cut them into bite-sized pieces, about 1.5-2 cm thick. (Cutting them too thin can cause them to break apart during stir-frying.) Finely chop the green onion and thinly slice the enoki mushrooms (or shiitake mushrooms after removing the stems).
Step 2
Heat a wok or a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chili oil, minced garlic, and chopped green onion. Stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the green onion and garlic turn golden brown, releasing their aromas.
Step 3
Once the aromatic oil is infused, add the ground pork. Break up the meat with chopsticks or a spatula as it cooks to prevent clumping. Stir-fry until the pork is completely cooked through and has changed color.
Step 4
When the pork is fully cooked, add all the ‘Yuxiang Sauce’ ingredients EXCEPT for the oyster sauce and the starch slurry (mix 0.5 Tbsp sweet potato starch with 1 Tbsp water beforehand). Stir well to combine with the pork and coat evenly.
Step 5
Add the sliced enoki mushrooms and stir-fry them. Then, add the oyster sauce to enhance the flavor. Continue to stir-fry for another minute until the mushrooms are slightly cooked.
Step 6
Now it’s time to add the star ingredient: the eggplant. Gently stir and toss to coat the eggplant pieces with the sauce, being careful not to break them. Stir-fry over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until the eggplant becomes tender and the sauce coats it nicely.
Step 7
Finally, gradually pour in the pre-mixed sweet potato starch slurry while stirring quickly. This will thicken the sauce, making it cling beautifully to the eggplant and pork. Cook until you reach your desired sauce consistency, then remove from heat and serve immediately!
