Braised Eggplant: Don't Directly Heat Oil! Add '1 Spoon of It' for Red, Flavorful, and Non-Greasy Results
The author was a picky eater as a child, strongly resisting many green leafy vegetables, always feeling like the vegetables were like Chinese medicinal herbs. Fortunately, I still liked other colored vegetables, such as red carrots, white cauliflower, and eggplants with purple skin.
Especially eggplant with purple skin, it's like the 'meat king' of the vegetable world for me! Why? Because my mom makes really delicious braised eggplant. It's shiny red and bright, and the cooked eggplant is tender and not greasy, with a very fragrant taste. Eating it feels better than eating meat!
'Braised Eggplant' Don't directly heat oil! Add '1 spoon of it' to make the eggplant red and flavorful without being greasy
Later, when I grew up and started working in the city, my mom shared her braised eggplant method and secrets with me: When making braised eggplant, it's crucial not to directly heat oil; just add '1 spoon of it'. The finished eggplant is red and flavorful and not greasy
Could it be that 'it' is chili bean paste? No, chili bean paste will make the eggplant very greasy. My mom uses something simpler, but it's more effective. It's white sugar. Just like making caramel, a little white sugar will make the eggplant more shiny and bright, and white sugar can also isolate the heat and prevent the eggplant from overcooking and absorbing too much oil. The finished eggplant is beautiful and delicious!
Braised Eggplant Recipe
Ingredient Details: Eggplant, red bell pepper, scallions, garlic, white sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, vinegar, oil, water
Procedure & Steps:
First, wash the eggplant, cut off the stem, and cut it into thick slices, then cut it into thick strips. After cutting, put it into a clean basin and add a little salt to marinate for 10 minutes. The purpose of marinating in diluted salt water is to let the eggplant absorb more water, so it won't absorb too much oil when cooked
Second, wash the red bell pepper and cut it into diced, garlic into slices, and scallion into chopped pieces. Prepare. Then clean the pot, dry it over a small fire, and dry-fry the eggplant in it, then sprinkle in a small spoonful of white sugar, stir-fry over medium heat, and then pour in an appropriate amount of vegetable oil, add red bell pepper and garlic slices, and stir-fry over high heat until boiling, then add a little water
Third, when the white sugar is completely melted and the oil is hot, add a little water and stir-fry, cover with a lid and boil for a few seconds, then uncover and add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, salt, and soy sauce in appropriate amounts, stir-fry over high heat until the eggplant softens and is fully flavored, then sprinkle chopped scallions to finish and thicken the sauce, and serve.
It's possible that many people don't believe that you can add white sugar to braised eggplant! If you don't believe it, you can try it. As long as you control the amount of white sugar, you can make braised eggplant that is shiny, flavorful, tender, not greasy, full of fragrance, and even more fragrant than meat. So when making braised eggplant, don't directly heat oil; remember to add '1 spoon of white sugar' to ensure that the eggplant is shiny, flavorful and not greasy.
