Spicy and Sweet Eggplant Mapo Pasta
A Unique Chinese-Inspired Eggplant Mapo Sauce Pasta Recipe
Originally, I intended to make Mapo Eggplant over rice, but seeing the eggplants I had in the freezer inspired me to change the menu to pasta! The chewy eggplant and minced pork combined with a spicy and sweet mapo sauce create a fantastic harmony with the pasta. Serving it with the potato pancakes with egg that were a hit yesterday makes for an even more satisfying meal. If you’re looking for a different kind of noodle dish, I highly recommend this Eggplant Mapo Pasta!
Main Ingredients- 2 Eggplants
- 200g Minced Pork
- 1/2 Onion
- A few cloves of Garlic (minced or sliced)
- 1.5 Chilies (adjust quantity to your preference)
- 1/2 Scallion (Green Onion)
- 1.5 servings Spaghetti (approx. 150g)
Pork Marinade- 1-2 Tbsp Mirin (or cooking wine)
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Starch
Mapo Sauce Seasoning- 2 Tbsp Doubanjiang (Spicy Bean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- Pinch of Chili Powder (adjust spiciness)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- Pinch of Pepper
- Starch Slurry (1 Tbsp starch + 2 Tbsp water, for thickening)
- 1-2 Tbsp Mirin (or cooking wine)
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Starch
Mapo Sauce Seasoning- 2 Tbsp Doubanjiang (Spicy Bean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
- Pinch of Chili Powder (adjust spiciness)
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- Pinch of Pepper
- Starch Slurry (1 Tbsp starch + 2 Tbsp water, for thickening)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, marinate the minced pork by mixing it well with mirin (or cooking wine), salt, pepper, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of starch. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. At the same time, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until it’s about 1 minute less than the package instructions suggest. Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.
Step 2
Now, let’s prepare the vegetables. Slice the eggplants into about 2cm thick rounds. Finely chop or slice the onion. Mince or thinly slice the garlic. Slice the chilies diagonally, and finely chop the scallions. (Optional: Salting and squeezing the eggplant slices before stir-frying can improve their texture.)
Step 3
Heat a deep pan or wok over medium-low heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil. Add the chopped scallions and sliced garlic, and stir-fry until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Once the aroma is released, add the onion and sauté until it becomes translucent.
Step 4
Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sliced eggplants and stir-fry until they are lightly browned and softened. Once the eggplants have wilted slightly and absorbed some oil, add the marinated minced pork. Break up any clumps and stir-fry until the pork is no longer pink.
Step 5
Now, add all the mapo sauce ingredients: doubanjiang, oyster sauce, chili powder, sugar, and pepper. Stir-fry everything together with the pork and eggplant until the sauce coats the ingredients. Pour in 1 cup (about 200ml) of water and bring to a boil. Gradually add the starch slurry (1 Tbsp starch + 2 Tbsp water) while stirring, until the sauce reaches a thickened consistency. Simmer over low heat for 1-2 minutes more to adjust the thickness. Taste and add a little salt or soy sauce if needed.
Step 6
Once the sauce has thickened and coated the ingredients well, add the prepared spaghetti noodles. Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes, ensuring the noodles are well mixed with the sauce. The goal is for the sauce to coat the pasta nicely. (If the pasta seems too dry, you can add a little pasta water.)
Step 7
Transfer the finished Eggplant Mapo Pasta to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped scallions or minced chili peppers, if desired, for an extra touch of flavor. Enjoy the delightful combination of the spicy and sweet mapo sauce, tender eggplant, and chewy pasta!
