Sweet & Sour Eggplant
Sweet & Sour Eggplant
Ingredients
For the Eggplant
- 2 eggplants, cut into sections, then sliced into strips
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- as needed oil, for frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 4 tablespoons water
For Garnish
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 green onion, chopped
- as needed sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, add the cut eggplant strips. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cornstarch over the eggplant and mix thoroughly until all pieces are evenly coated. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the sweet and sour sauce: In a separate medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, and 4 tablespoons of water. Whisk all ingredients well until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is thoroughly combined.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Finely chop the 3 cloves of garlic and chop the 1 green onion. Keep them separate as the green onion will be used for garnish later.
⏱️ 4 min
- 4
Heat enough oil for frying in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. The oil should be deep enough to submerge the eggplant pieces, about 1 to 2 inches.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Once the oil is hot (a small piece of eggplant should sizzle immediately when dropped in), carefully add the coated eggplant strips in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry until they turn golden brown and are cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per batch.
⏱️ 8 min
- 6
Remove the fried eggplant from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Carefully pour out most of the oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Return the pan to medium heat and add the chopped garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the pan with the garlic and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 1 min
- 9
Return the fried eggplant to the pan with the boiling sauce. Stir-fry the eggplant with the sauce until the sauce thickens and evenly coats all the eggplant pieces, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Transfer the sweet and sour eggplant to a serving dish. Garnish generously with the chopped green onion and sesame seeds before serving hot.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sweet & Sour Eggplant
For the Eggplant
- 2 eggplants, cut into sections, then sliced into strips
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- as needed oil, for frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 4 tablespoons water
For Garnish
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 green onion, chopped
- as needed sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, add the cut eggplant strips. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cornstarch over the eggplant and mix thoroughly until all pieces are evenly coated. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the sweet and sour sauce: In a separate medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of ketchup, and 4 tablespoons of water. Whisk all ingredients well until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is thoroughly combined.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Finely chop the 3 cloves of garlic and chop the 1 green onion. Keep them separate as the green onion will be used for garnish later.
⏱️ 4 min - 4
Heat enough oil for frying in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. The oil should be deep enough to submerge the eggplant pieces, about 1 to 2 inches.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Once the oil is hot (a small piece of eggplant should sizzle immediately when dropped in), carefully add the coated eggplant strips in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pan. Fry until they turn golden brown and are cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per batch.
⏱️ 8 min - 6
Remove the fried eggplant from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Carefully pour out most of the oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Return the pan to medium heat and add the chopped garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the pan with the garlic and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.
⏱️ 1 min - 9
Return the fried eggplant to the pan with the boiling sauce. Stir-fry the eggplant with the sauce until the sauce thickens and evenly coats all the eggplant pieces, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Transfer the sweet and sour eggplant to a serving dish. Garnish generously with the chopped green onion and sesame seeds before serving hot.
⏱️ 2 min