Servings
Font
Back
Easy Spicy Chinese Eggplant Recipe (Vegan)
5 from 12 votes

Easy Spicy Chinese Eggplant Recipe (Vegan)

This vegan recipe features Chinese or Japanese eggplants stir-fried with shiitake and king oyster mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and a spicy doubanjiang-based sauce. The eggplants are uniquely coated with cornstarch before frying, creating a pleasant texture that soaks up the flavorful sauce. The dish balances savory, spicy, and slightly sweet notes from the combination of soy sauces, chili bean paste, and sugar. It's a distinctive vegetable stir-fry suitable as a hearty side or main in vegan Chinese cooking.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 134 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1-2 dried shiitake mushrooms Optional. Remove the stems which can be used to make stock. Rinse then soak the mushrooms caps in hot water for at least 30 minutes then dice finely.
  • 3 eggplant Skin on. Preferably Chinese or Japanese eggplants. If you can only get globe eggplants, soak those in salt water for 10-15 minutes to reduce the bitterness after cutting and before cooking. (Use 1 Tablespoon per litre of water, and don't forget to rinse the eggplants well after they come out of their salt bath!) You may also have to increase the cooking time slightly
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 3-4 Tablespoons vegetable oil Use peanut oil or a neutral vegetable oil for authentic Chinese flavor. No olive oil please! Do not add all the oil at 1 go. We will be adding it bit by bit as we cook.
  • 6 cloves garlic peel and minced
  • 1.5 inch ginger peeled and minced
  • 1 red chili Optional, omit if you can't take spicy food. Remove seeds and mince. Reserve some for garnishing. Do not touch your eyes after handling chilies!, large
  • 1 prig spring onions sliced. Reserve some for garnishing the dish.
  • 2 king oyster mushrooms About 200g or 7 oz. Cut into ¼ inch cubes.
  • 2½ Tablespoons doubanjiang I use the Lee Kum Kee Chili Bean Paste sauce, which is indicated to be suitable for vegetarians and vegans on their website. However, do check the bottle you get to make sure it's plant-based. You can get this Sichuan sauce from the Asian market. See Notes for how to make a substitute sauce, chili bean paste
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce light
  • ½ Tablespoon dark soy sauce Crucial for getting the beautiful dark brown glossy sauce.
  • ½ Tablespoon white sugar make sure it's bone-char free to be vegan!
  • 1 Cup vegetable stock Substitute: water and a pinch of sugar and salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If using, soak the shiitake mushroom caps in hot water.
  2. Whilst the mushrooms are soaking, mix the sauces in a small bowl and leave it by the stove.
  3. Cut the washed eggplant into batons, about 1.5-2 inches in length. Dry with a paper towel. 
  4. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch over the eggplant in a thin layer- this helps it develop a nice texture when stir-frying. Note: Use your hands to make sure they're evenly coated. Place the coated aubergines in a sieve and shake off any excess starch.
  5. Over medium heat, heat 1-2 teaspoons of oil till it is shimmering but not smoking in a large skillet of wok. Swirl the oil around.Note: You want just enough oil to coat the surface of the pan. Don't use too much or the eggplants will just absorb it oil. You will need to add more oil each time you brown a new batch of eggplants. High heat is crucial for Chinese stir-fries but if the oil ever smokes, reduce the heat.
  6. Add the eggplant pieces in a single layer- as many as we can squeeze in because we don't want to be browning eggplants forever- and leave to brown. The eggplants will darken, soften, and wrinkle a bit. In an ideal world, we would brown every side, but we have hungry people waiting to eat, so just brown 1-2 sides per baton. (See Tips for how to steam instead of browning the eggplants.)
  7. Once browned, remove from the pan. Repeat till all the eggplants are charred. (You will need to add more oil for every batch. See post for how the eggplants look when there is not enough oil.)
  8. Add 1 Tablespoon oil to the pan over medium high heat or high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, quickly stir-fry the ginger and garlic till fragrant, 30-45 seconds. 
  9. Add the dried and fresh mushrooms to the pan, along with some sliced spring onions and red chilies. Keeping stirring for 1-2 minutes. It may feel a bit hard to stir initially but the mushrooms will release water, so it'll get easier. If the pan really feels too dry add some water or stock.
  10. Return the eggplants to the pan.
  11. Add the sauce mixture to the pan and stir a few times till everything is well-coated.
  12. Pour in the vegetable stock or water, bring to the boil and cook down, till you get a rich, thick and glossy sauce. This will just take a few minutes. Note: If you added too much cornstarch or heated it for too long and the sauce is too thick, just add more water or broth.
  13. Stir till the eggplants are all well-coated in the sauce and switch off the fire. Garnish with sliced red chilies and sliced green onions.Serve with white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice!

Notes

  • If globe eggplants are used, soak them in salt water for 10-15 minutes to reduce bitterness before cooking.
  • Apply cornstarch evenly on eggplant pieces and shake off excess to promote better texture when frying.
  • Doubanjiang chili bean paste is key for the authentic flavor; if not available, use the substitute sauce outlined in the notes.
  • Control heat carefully during stir-frying to prevent oil smoking and achieve proper browning without excessive oil absorption.

Nutrition Information

Calories 134kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g (24%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Trans Fat 0.05g (3%) Sodium 355mg (15%) Potassium 318mg (7%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 201IU (4%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 20mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 134

% Daily Value*

Calories 134kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.05g 3%
Sodium 355mg 15%
Potassium 318mg 7%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 201IU 4%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.