What is Chinese Eggplant Taste and and Easy Eggplant Recipe

Chinese eggplant

Chinese eggplant

Overview:

Chinese eggplant is botanically classified as Solanum melongena and is cultivated locally or throughout Asia. Chinese eggplant is available throughout the year. Chinese eggplant will store up to a week if stored in a cool and dry place. These varieties of eggplant have historically been of Indo-Burmese and Chinese origin, but there is also evidence of early cultivation in India. Today these eggplants are widely available in markets of Asia, Europe, Canada, and the United States.

Chinese eggplant is long and slender, about 15-20 cm in length and 5 cm in diameter. These eggplants can be crooked or straight. Its thin outer skin ranges from purple to bright purple. The inner flesh is white and almost seedless. The Chinese eggplant associated with eggplant has a light and sweet taste.

The eggplant has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Chinese eggplant fruit, roots, and leaves are used to help reduce the symptoms of toothache, boils, sores and ulcers, fever, and intestinal disorders.

Nutritional value:

Chinese eggplant is rich in anthocyanins, a pigment that is responsible not only for the dark purple skin color of the fruit but also for its antioxidant properties. It contains some manganese, potassium, and vitamin B6.

Serving Size :  85g

Cal: 18

Carbs: 4 g

Dietary Fiber: 2 g

Sugar: 2 g

Fat: 0 g

Saturated: 0 g

Polyunsaturated: 0 g

Monounsaturated: 0 g

Trans: 0 g

Protein: 0 g

Sodium: 1 mg

Potassium: 160 mg

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Vitamin A: 0 %

Vitamin C: 2 %

Calcium: 0 %

Iron: 0 %

 

How to cook Chinese eggplant

Chinese eggplants are best suited for cooking applications such as bracing, steering-frying, sautéing and grilling. Their tender meat cooks faster than most eggplant varieties, and its taste and texture will stay on top when baked.

 

Chinese eggplant recipe

 

Szechuan eggplant recipe

Chinese eggplant with Szechuan sauce with peppers and peanuts- makes a delicious recipe. Serve it with rice, black rice, cauliflower rice, rice noodles.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound Japanese eggplant (about 4 x 10 inches eggplant)

2 teaspoons salt

Bowl of water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2-4 tablespoons peanut oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped rough

2 teaspoons ginger, finely minced

5-10 dried red chilies

 

Szechuan Sauce:

1 teaspoon Szechuan pepper (or regular pepper powder)

1/4 cup soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon garlic pepper paste (or 1 teaspoon chili flakes)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine

3 tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup or alternative

1/2 teaspoon five spices

Garnish with scallops and fried peanuts or this peanut chili crunch

 

Method

Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick half-moon or bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl covered with water and stir with 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover with a plate and let stand for 20-30 minutes.

 

In between, chop the garlic and ginger and make the Sichuan sauce.

 

Make Szechuan sauce:

 Toast the Szechuan peppers in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Pizza. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients (soy, chili paste, sesame oil, rice vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, sugar and five spices) and whisk. Set by the oven.

Wash the eggplant and dry it with a towel. Toss with corn starch.

Working in 2 batches, heat 1 -2 tablespoons oil on an extra-large skillet over medium heat. Spread half the eggplant. You want to get beautiful and golden in both directions, and the interior is cooked – so take your time here and do not rush this step. Let one side turn brown then turn it upside down with tongs. It will take about 10 minutes for each batch. Separate the eggplant.

Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan and add garlic and ginger over medium heat, stirring for 2 minutes. Turn on the fan, add the dried chilies and stir for one minute. Pour the Szechuan sauce into the pan and cook for 20 seconds. Add the eggplant back to the pan, stirring gently for about 1 minute. If it feels dry, add one tablespoon of water to loosen it.

Place in a serving dish and top with scallops and optional peanuts.

Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, black rice or rice noodles.

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References:

https://specialtyproduce.com/

https://www.feastingathome.com/

https://www.myfitnesspal.com/

 

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