Sweet and Sour Eggplant With Garlic Chips

By Sue Li

Sweet and Sour Eggplant With Garlic Chips
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(2,127)
Comments
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This vibrant eggplant dish relies heavily on simple pantry staples, but gets its complex flavor from the clever use of garlic: First, you make garlic chips, then you fry eggplant in the remaining garlic-infused oil. Since garlic chips can burn easily, the key here is to combine the garlic and oil in an unheated pan for even cooking. As the oil heats up, the garlic will sizzle rapidly as the moisture cooks off. When it slows down, the garlic slices should be crisp. Be sure to remove the chips just as they begin to turn golden, as they will continue to cook after being removed from the oil. The rest is easy: Sauté the eggplant, create a quick soy sauce glaze, sprinkle with herbs and garlic chips, and serve.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings
  • 4cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
  • ¼cup sunflower oil or other neutral oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 3medium Japanese eggplants (about 1 pound total), quartered lengthwise then cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • ½ to 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes
  • ½cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • ¼cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

253 calories; 14 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams dietary fiber; 19 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 1047 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Set a small sieve over a heatproof bowl. Combine garlic and oil in a medium skillet and heat over medium-low. Cook garlic until light golden brown and crisp and the bubbles have subsided, 3 to 4 minutes, then quickly strain the garlic chips into the sieve set over the bowl. Transfer the garlic chips to a paper towel-lined plate, season with kosher salt and set aside. Transfer the garlic oil back to the skillet.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the garlic oil over medium-high. Add the eggplant in batches, adding more as they shrink in size and space permits, and cook, stirring occasionally, until cut sides of eggplant are golden-brown and skins are slightly wrinkled, 6 to 8 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and red-pepper flakes and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, tossing the eggplant to coat, until sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve topped with fresh herbs and garlic chips.

Ratings

5 out of 5
2,127 user ratings
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Comments

Linda

Couldn't disagree more with the Ouzo K. Since I was making this as a side dish, I divided the recipe in half for 2 servings and "lightened" my regular soy sauce with about 30% water. The dish wouldn't be "sweet" (with the sour) without the brown sugar, and the cilantro blends well with the basil (used Thai basil) to which I added a bit of mint. On second thought, perhaps Ouzo K didn't make the dish and was just commenting on his thoughts about how he would prepare it.

ejb

I am addicted to this dish. As always, ignore the recommended garlic quantity and measure the slices out with your biting, burning, garlic-soaked, vampire-protected soul.

absolut_foodie

Great recipe as is, but to take it up a notch try using Chinese black vinegar instead of rice wine vinegar. This will make it more sour and add a depth of flavour that will suit lovers of strong & bold tastes.

Great as a main dish!

I served this eggplant dish on top of rice noodles. Very tasty! I added more eggplant than indicated. I did not add more oil, but I would add water if more moisture was needed.

Erik

I add a tablespoon of sake, a tip from another Times recipe. I prefer it with cornstarch to thicken the sauce also.

brianna

My husband and I loved this. We had with soba noodles we had in the pantry. Only complaint is we wanted more!!

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