Crispy Fried Eggplant & Sweet and Sour Eggplant
How to Make Crispy Fried Eggplant and Sweet and Sour Eggplant
I’ve been making various dishes with eggplant, but I wanted to try a different method, so I decided to make fried eggplant. At first, I enjoyed the fried eggplant dipped in soy sauce. When I had some leftover, I made a sweet and sour sauce and turned it into sweet and sour eggplant, which was an exquisite dish. Today, I will introduce how to make crispy fried eggplant and sweet and sour eggplant.
Fried Eggplant Ingredients- 2 eggplants
- 32 sheets of rice paper
- A little lukewarm water
- Vegetable oil for frying (plenty)
Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 red chilies (seeds removed and minced)
- 2 green chilies (seeds removed and minced)
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 3 Tbsp water
- 4 Tbsp oligodang (corn syrup or honey)
- A little chopped green onion (for garnish)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing sauce)
Starch Slurry (for thickening)- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 red chilies (seeds removed and minced)
- 2 green chilies (seeds removed and minced)
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 3 Tbsp water
- 4 Tbsp oligodang (corn syrup or honey)
- A little chopped green onion (for garnish)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing sauce)
Starch Slurry (for thickening)- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the 2 eggplants thoroughly and prepare them. Removing the stems and patting them completely dry will help prevent oil splattering during frying.
Step 2
Prepare 32 sheets of rice paper. These will be used as the crispy coating. Have enough ready.
Step 3
Cut one of the washed eggplants lengthwise into 4 equal pieces. Then, cut each of these 4 pieces into 4 more pieces, resulting in 16 pieces per eggplant.
Step 4
By cutting both eggplants in the same way, you will have a total of 32 pieces of eggplant. These are a good size for enjoying with the sweet and sour sauce.
Step 5
Now, place the rice paper and a bowl of lukewarm water next to each other for moistening the rice paper. Lukewarm water that is not too hot is best.
Step 6
Dip one sheet of rice paper into the lukewarm water for about 5 seconds, then remove and let it soften slightly. Place one piece of the cut eggplant on top. Carefully wrap the eggplant with the rice paper, rolling it up gently to avoid tearing.
Step 7
Continue this process, wrapping all the eggplant pieces with rice paper, until you have 32 eggplant pieces coated. Ensure they are rolled up securely so the shape holds.
Step 8
Now it’s time to fry the rice-paper-coated eggplant. Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium heat. If the oil temperature is too low, the eggplant will become soggy; if it’s too high, it will burn, so be mindful of the temperature.
Step 9
Add the prepared eggplant pieces to the hot oil. Fry for about 2-3 minutes until one side is golden brown and crispy. Once cooked on one side, flip them over and fry the other side until equally golden and crisp.
Step 10
Transfer the well-fried eggplant pieces to a rack lined with paper towels or a wire rack to drain off excess oil. This step is crucial for maintaining their crispiness.
Step 11
These fried eggplants are delicious even when simply dipped in soy sauce. However, today we’ll make a sweet and sour sauce to enjoy them in a more special way. The crispy fried eggplant alone is a wonderful snack!
Step 12
To make the sweet and sour sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Then, add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and mix well.
Step 13
Next, add 2 tablespoons of vegetarian oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, 3 tablespoons of water, and 4 tablespoons of oligodang. Stir until the sugar dissolves and bring to a simmer. Once the sauce starts boiling, add the minced red and green chilies and let it simmer for another moment. Finally, in a small bowl, whisk together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Gradually pour this starch slurry into the simmering sauce, stirring continuously until it reaches your desired thickness.
Step 14
Now, prepare the fried eggplant pieces that will be served with the sweet and sour sauce. They are best when still warm and crispy from frying.
Step 15
You can either pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce over the fried eggplant and toss gently, or arrange the fried eggplant on a plate and generously ladle the sauce on top. Both methods are delicious, depending on your preference.
Step 16
Transfer the finished sweet and sour eggplant to a serving dish. Doesn’t it look appetizing with its glossy coating?
Step 17
Finally, sprinkle some chopped green onions on top as a garnish for a more attractive presentation. These sweet and sour eggplants are an impressive dish, perfect for entertaining guests. Enjoy your meal!
