Twice Cooked Eggplant

Twice Cooked Eggplant is a flavorful and texturally rich dish that takes the humble eggplant to the next level with a combination of crispy frying and a luscious stir-fried glaze. This recipe features tender cubes of eggplant fried until golden brown, then wok-tossed with an aromatic mix of garlic, ginger, and red chili, creating a harmony of bold, savory, and subtly sweet flavors. The soy sauce-based glaze, enhanced with rice vinegar and a touch of honey, beautifully coats the eggplant, while sesame seeds and fresh spring onions add vibrant texture and visual appeal. Ready in just 45 minutes, this dish is perfect as a hearty vegetarian main course or an impressive side. Serve it hot for a restaurant-quality experience straight from your own kitchen!

Nutriscore Rating: 71/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:25 mins

Total Time:45 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 medium Eggplants
• 1 cup Vegetable oil
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1 inch piece Fresh ginger
• 2 Red chili
• 3 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Water
• 2 stalks Spring onions
• 1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt

Directions

Step 1

Wash the eggplants thoroughly. Cut them into bite-sized cubes, approximately 1 inch in size.

Step 2

Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Slice the red chilies thinly. Chop the spring onions into small rounds.

Step 3

In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully add the eggplant cubes in batches. Fry each batch for about 5-7 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove and drain the fried eggplant on a plate lined with paper towels.

Step 4

Pour out excess oil from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons of oil for stir-frying. Reduce the heat to medium.

Step 5

Add garlic, ginger, and red chilies to the skillet. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Step 6

In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, cornstarch, and water, stirring until the cornstarch is fully dissolved.

Step 7

Return the fried eggplant to the skillet. Pour the sauce mixture over the eggplant, stirring to coat evenly. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and the eggplant to soak up the flavors.

Step 8

Add the spring onions and sesame seeds, tossing everything together one last time. Season with salt.

Step 9

Serve the twice cooked eggplant hot as a delightful main dish or side, garnished with extra spring onions or sesame seeds if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	1094.4 grams (1094.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2163

Total Fat 215.80g	277%
Saturated Fat 30.90g	155%
Polyunsaturated Fat 136.50g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 2943mg	128%
Total Carbohydrate 74.90g	27%
Dietary Fiber 22.30g	80%
Total Sugars 40.60g
Protein 15.50g	31%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 143mg	11%
Iron 5mg	26%
Potassium 2052mg	44%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 84.3%

Protein: 2.7%

Carbs: 13.0%