Vegetarian, East Asian
Yu xiang eggplant with rice
Yu xiang eggplant with rice is a Sichuan dish of soft eggplant coated in a sweet, tangy, lightly spicy sauce, served over rice. It serves 4, takes 35 minutes, is rated easy, and costs about €1.90 per person. The key is balancing sugar, vinegar, and chili paste in the sauce, and salting the eggplant well so it browns without soaking up too much oil.
Tonight, melt in your mouth eggplant in a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy sauce, a real Sichuan classic.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €1.90
- Calories per person
- 430 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Summer, Fall
- The kids
- They generally like it
Yu xiang eggplant takes its name from a sauce traditionally paired with fish in Sichuan cooking, used here instead on vegetables. The result surprises anyone who hasn't tried it before, the eggplant turns meltingly soft and soaks up a sauce where sweet, sour, and spicy all answer each other without any one flavor taking over. Cornstarch gives the sauce a glossy finish that clings to every piece, so the rice underneath gets its share too.
This is a dish that works just as well on a weeknight as at a table with guests, no meat or fish involved yet nowhere near bland, thanks to ginger, raw garlic, and chili paste. Mon Chou likes to bring it out in summer or fall, when eggplant is at its best, and kids tend to enjoy it too if you ease up on the chili.
The ingredients
Fruits and vegetables
- Eggplants 3
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Fresh ginger 20 g
- Scallions 4
Pantry
- Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
- Black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp
- Sugaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
- Chili paste 1 tbsp
- Cornstarchoften in the pantry 1 tsp
- Neutral oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
- Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Allergens Soy, Gluten
The step by step recipe
-
Cut the eggplants into thick sticks, salt them, and let them sit to release water. 10 min
Press them in a kitchen towel after salting, they'll soak up less oil.
-
Mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili paste, cornstarch, and 10 cl of water.
Taste it, the sweet and sour should feel balanced before you heat it.
-
Cook the rice in a pot of salted water, then drain it. 11 min
Let it rest covered for 5 minutes, it finishes steaming in its own heat.
-
Brown the eggplant in a wide pan with the oil, turning the pieces, until they're soft and tender. 10 min
Cover for a few minutes, the steam softens them without needing more oil.
-
Add the garlic, ginger, and half the scallions, cook for 1 minute, pour in the sauce and let it thicken. Serve over the rice with the remaining scallions. 3 min
Stir the sauce before pouring it in, the cornstarch settles fast.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick firm eggplant without soft spots, the flesh holds up better during cooking and turns tender instead of mushy.
- Start browning the eggplant over fairly high heat to get good color, then lower it so the inside cooks through without burning.
- Mix the sauce before you start cooking the eggplant, everything moves fast once the pan is going.
The variations
- Swap the chili paste for a spoonful of sriracha if that's what you have on hand, the result stays close to the original.
- Add rehydrated wood ear mushrooms or firm tofu cubes alongside the eggplant for more texture.
- For a quicker version, cut the eggplant into small cubes, they cook faster and work well for kids in a hurry to eat.
What to serve it with
- Green tea or jasmine tea
- Extra steamed vegetables
- A light clear broth to start
Storage
The eggplant in sauce keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well without the rice, and reheats gently in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Questions about this dish
Can you make yu xiang eggplant ahead of time?
Yes, the eggplant in sauce can be made the day before and gently reheated. The flavors actually round out a bit with resting, just cook the rice fresh when you're ready to eat.
What can I use if I don't have chili paste?
Sriracha or even chili powder mixed with a spoonful of oil can stand in for chili paste. Adjust the amount based on how spicy you want it.
Do I really need to salt the eggplant first?
Yes, salting draws out water and bitterness from the eggplant, and it soaks up less oil during cooking as a result. It's a quick step that makes a real difference in the final texture.
Is this dish good for kids who don't like spicy food?
You can cut the chili paste in half without losing the sweet and sour balance of the sauce. Many kids mainly love the soft texture of the eggplant and the rice that comes with it.
How long does it take to make a yu xiang eggplant with rice?
Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a yu xiang eggplant with rice?
About 430 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a yu xiang eggplant with rice cost?
About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains soy, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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