Szechuan Eggplant Recipe, Sichuan Eggplant Step by Step - Edible Garden (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to tender eggplant? ›

The other trick for perfect roasted eggplant? Cooking it at a high temperature (425 F / 218 C) for enough time (25-30 minutes) to give it a browned exterior and tender interior.

Yu Xiang Qie Zi (Sichuan-Style Braised Eggplant With Pickled Chilies and Garlic) Recipe. Eggplant is stir-fried until tender and smoky, then braised with with pickled chiles, feremented chile-bean paste, black vinegar, scallions, ginger, and garlic.

The compact plants of this Chinese variety are well branched and produce 2-3 eggplants per cluster. The tender fruits have purple skin with white stripes, a green calyx and white flesh. They mature to 8" long and 1 1/4" in diameter.

Yes, the skin of Chinese eggplant is tender and entirely edible. Unlike the thicker skin of some Western eggplants, Chinese eggplant's skin cooks down to a soft texture, so there's no need to peel it. It also adds color and additional nutrients to the dish.

Although the region is now romanized as Sichuan, the cuisine is still sometimes spelled 'Szechuan' or 'Szechwan' in the West. There are many local variations of Sichuan cuisine within Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, which was politically part of Sichuan until 1997.

Chinese eggplants are long and thin with vibrant lavender skin and white flesh, and can appear either crooked or straight. They taste mildly sweet and hold up when cooked.

Eggplants prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-7). In areas with highly acidic soil (pH under 5), add a sprinkle of lime to the soil when preparing for planting. Prepare the soil prior to planting by digging in well-rotted manure and compost and/or apply Seasol Liquid Compost.

If you don't have the space or proper soil conditions for eggplant, container growth is a good option. The container should be at least five gallons and have ample drainage holes. A dark-colored pot is a good option because it will absorb sunlight to provide the warm soil conditions that eggplant likes.

Depending on variety and size, and how they are cut, eggplants take 15 to 25 minutes to fully cook. Undercook them and you'll be left with a bitter-tasting veggie that has the texture of a cotton ball, says Norton. "Most recipes can accurately predict how much time it will take for eggplants to fully cook.

While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.

Should Chinese eggplant be refrigerated? ›

Eggplants do not store well for long periods of time. Without refrigeration, eggplants can be stored in a cool, dry place for 1 or 2 days. If you don't intend to eat the eggplant within 2 days, it should be refrigerated.

Soak eggplant slices or cubes in milk for about 30 minutes before cooking. The milk not only tempers the bitterness, but it actually makes for eggplant that is extra creamy, since the vegetable acts like a sponge and soaks up a good amount of milk in its flesh.

drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper then toss well in a bowl using a rubber spatula. spread out on tray and bake at 240°C/ 450°F for 20 minutes, flip, then for another 10 minutes, until the eggplant is super soft and caramelised on the edges.

I tend to soak the slices in a bowl of water with a couple of tablespoon of salt for about 30-45 minutes. It doesn't have to do with bitterness, but I find that in doing this, the fried eggplant turns out less greasy," Jenkins says.