Spicy Braised Dried Eggplant with Doubanjiang
Recipe for Braised Dried Eggplant with Doubanjiang Sauce
I had some dried eggplant and thought it would be delicious stir-fried with a spicy doubanjiang sauce. ^^
Ingredients
- Dried eggplant 30g
- Doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste) 1 Tbsp
- Perilla oil (or sesame oil) 1/2 Tbsp
- Water 20ml (2 Tbsp)
- Toasted sesame seeds, a pinch (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the dried eggplant. In a bowl, pour enough lukewarm water to submerge the dried eggplant and let it soak for about 30 minutes until thoroughly softened. The dried eggplant will regain its original texture and shape as it rehydrates.
Step 2
Once the dried eggplant is rehydrated, lightly rinse it under running water. Then, squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands. It’s crucial to squeeze out excess water; otherwise, the eggplant might clump together or the sauce could become too watery during cooking.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the sauce. Pour 20ml of water into a frying pan and add 1 Tbsp of doubanjiang. Over medium-low heat, stir and bring the mixture to a gentle boil until the doubanjiang is fully dissolved and the sauce starts to simmer. Pre-cooking the sauce like this helps to deepen the flavor of the doubanjiang.
Step 4
Once the sauce is simmering, add the squeezed dried eggplant to the pan. Stir-fry evenly, ensuring the eggplant is well coated with the sauce, for about 2-3 minutes. Finally, drizzle in 1/2 Tbsp of perilla oil (or sesame oil) and give it a quick mix to enhance the aroma. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a beautiful garnish. Your delicious Spicy Braised Dried Eggplant with Doubanjiang is ready!
