NewsBite

Advertisement
Good Food logo

Adam Liaw's mapo eggplant

Adam Liaw
Adam Liaw

Advertisement
Mapo eggplant.
Mapo eggplant.Adam Liaw

The Japanese-Chinese dish of "mapo nasu" is a combination of two famous Sichuan dishes – mapo tofu and yu xiang eggplant.

Advertisement

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant

  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil

  • 2 tsp sesame oil

  • 150g pork mince

  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

  • 1 tbsp grated ginger

  • 2 tbsp doubanjiang (Sichuan chilli bean paste)

  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce

  • 1 tbsp sugar

  • ½ cup chicken stock 

  • 1 tsp corn starch mixed with ¼ cup cold water

  • 1 tbsp chilli oil, or to taste (optional) 

  • ½ tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional)

  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, to serve

Method

  1. 1. Cut the eggplant into batons about 5cm long by 2cm wide and set aside. Heat a wok over high heat and add 3 tablespoons of oil. Fry the eggplant until golden and set aside. You can add a little more oil as needed, but don't add too much as the eggplant will first absorb oil, then release it as it softens. 

    2. After you have cooked the eggplant, return the wok to the heat and add the remaining vegetable oil and the sesame oil. Fry the pork mince until browned, then add the garlic, ginger, doubanjiang and Shaoxing wine. Fry for about a minute until fragrant, then add the soy sauces, oyster sauce, sugar and stock. Bring to a simmer, then return the eggplant to the wok and toss to coat in the sauce (you can add more stock if needed). Simmer for a minute or two, until the eggplant softens, then stir in as much of the corn starch mixture as needed to create a silky sauce. Remove to a serving plate, drizzle with chilli oil (if using), sprinkle with ground Sichuan peppercorns (if using) and scatter the spring onion. 

    Also try Adam Liaw's chicken katsu tenders

The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.

Sign up
Adam LiawAdam Liaw is a cookbook author and food writer, co-host of Good Food Kitchen and former MasterChef winner.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement

Similar Recipes

More by Adam Liaw

Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/recipes/adam-liaws-mapo-eggplant-20230303-h2a8ym.html