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Soy-braised Eggplant

Name: Soy-braised Eggplant
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 450 g eggplant, cut into 3 cm pieces; 3 pieces garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce, optional; 1 tsp sugar; 150 ml water; 1 tsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp cold water for slurry

红烧茄子 · Hóng shāo qié zi

Soft eggplant in a glossy soy-garlic sauce. This pan-braised version uses a little water rather than deep-frying.

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Prep10 min

Cook20 min

Serves2

DifficultyEasy

Soy-braised Eggplant — illustrative dish photo; ingredients may differ — Illustrative dish photography · credits below · tak.wing · CC BY-SA 2.0

Recipe guide · not yet kitchen-testedAI-assisted editorial draft. Timing depends on your stove, pan, and ingredient size. Use the doneness checks below.

Let’s get cooking

01
Prepare the sauce
Combine soy sauces, sugar, and braising water. Mix starch with its measured cold water separately.
02
Brown gently
Heat oil over medium heat. Add eggplant and turn for 5 minutes until lightly coloured. Work in batches if necessary.
03
Braise until soft
Add garlic and sauce. Cover and simmer 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the centres are soft.
04
Thicken
Uncover. Stir the slurry and add gradually to the simmering sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes until it lightly coats the eggplant.