Quick & Easy Chinese Spicy Garlic Eggplant

Name: Quick & Easy Chinese Spicy Garlic Eggplant
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Chinese eggplants (or Japanese eggplant or regular eggplant); 1/4 cup cornstarch (or potato starch ); 5 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 10 dried red chilies (or 2 chopped fresh red chilies ); 5 slices ginger (peeled); 1 green onion (finely chopped); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1 tbsp regular soy sauce; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian stir-fry sauce); 1 tbsp water (cold); 1 tsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine (or dry sherry wine or dry white wine or broth); 1 tsp white granulated sugar (or cane sugar); 1 tsp rice vinegar (or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar); 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch); 1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes (or chili oil or chili garlic sauce to taste)

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Tender eggplant cooked in a spicy, savoury garlic sauce with aromatic red chilies, green onions, and ginger. This quick and easy Chinese spicy garlic eggplant is made in 30 minutes and restaurant-quality! A veggie side dish for all the eggplant lovers!

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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Spicy garlic eggplant features Chinese eggplant coated in starch and fried, then stir-fried with dried red chilis, ginger, and scallions in a spicy savory sauce with garlic!

This Asian eggplant dish is served at Chinese restaurants and it's a favorite for many thanks to its delicious and complex flavors! You can easily make this at home and the results are remarkably similar to takeout.

This vegetable dish is best served with steamed rice and a protein of your choice. Also, it's tasty way to add vegetables to your diet, without it feeling like a chore!

The best part about my easy eggplant recipe is that it comes together quickly in under 30 minutes in one-pan and it's a crowd-pleaser!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Chinese Eggplant: or substitute with Japanese Eggplant. Asian-style eggplants are longer and slender in shape compared to regular eggplant and are sold at most Asian grocery stores. As a last resort, substitute with regular seedless eggplant.
Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch or arrowroot starch. Avoid using tapioca starch as it causes the eggplant to stick together in the pan.
Neutral Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
Ginger: or substitute with ground ginger.
Green Onion: or substitute with 1 shallot or 2 tablespoon onion finely chopped.
Dried Whole Red Chili Peppers: or substitute with fresh red chilies. For a milder version, substitute with bell peppers. For extra spicy, substitute with bird's eye red chili.

Sauce

Garlic: or substitute with garlic powder.
Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce.
Oyster sauce: this is a thick brown sauce made of oysters that adds a lot of umami flavor. Or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
Water: room temperature or cold.
Shaoxing wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine. Or substitute with Dry Sherry, cooking sake or dry white wine. For a non-alcoholic or gluten-free version, substitute with chicken broth.
White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar.
Rice Vinegar: or substitute with white or apple cider vinegar.
Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch or arrowroot starch.
Crushed Red Chili Flakes: or substitute red pepper flakes like gochugaru. As a last resort, substitute with chili garlic sauce or chili oil to taste.

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

Expert Tips

Source fresh eggplant with a vibrant and firm purple skin. Avoid eggplant that is wrinkly looking or discolored.
Cut the eggplant into evenly-sized pieces so they can cook consistently.
Prepare the ingredients in advance because the cooking process is fast.
Make sure to cook the eggplant through when you toss in the sauce because undercooked eggplant has an unpleasant taste and can lead to digestive issues.
Be gentle when stir frying the eggplant with the sauce and use two spatulas to help you lift the eggplant from the bottom.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Chinese spicy garlic eggplant:

In a small bowl, combine your sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.

Slice the unpeeled eggplant vertically into four quarters so you have four strips. Then cut the strips into 2-inch-long pieces and transfer into a large mixing bowl. Add cornstarch and toss eggplant into the starch until evenly coated.

Slice the unpeeled eggplant vertically into four quarters so you have four strips. Then cut the strips into 2-inch-long pieces and transfer into a large mixing bowl. Add cornstarch and toss eggplant into the starch until evenly coated.

Heat ¼ cup or 60 ml vegetable oil medium-high heat in a large pan. Gently fry coated eggplant until tender, about 90% cooked. Remove and set aside.

Heat ¼ cup or 60 ml vegetable oil medium-high heat in a large pan. Gently fry coated eggplant until tender, about 90% cooked. Remove and set aside.

Reduce to low-medium heat. Add remaining vegetable oil and sauté ginger, red chilis and green onions for 10 seconds.

Reduce to low-medium heat. Add remaining vegetable oil and sauté ginger, red chilis and green onions for 10 seconds.

Add eggplant with the sauce and toss everything together. Remove off heat and enjoy!

Add eggplant followed by the sauce and gently toss everything together. Remove off heat and enjoy!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing spicy garlic eggplant because the eggplant will become mushy.

Pairing Suggestions

Chinese spicy garlic eggplant serves well with:

starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice
chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, soup noodles
protein dishes like Mongolian Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Shrimp Omelet, Soy Garlic Tofu, and more!

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

Chinese spicy garlic eggplant can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored into an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.

Does Chinese eggplant taste different than regular eggplant?

Chinese eggplant tastes slightly sweeter and less bitter, since it's completely seedless.

What does Chinese eggplant look like?

Chinese eggplant is slender, long with a vibrant purple skin. It looks like the image below.

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