Spicy Eggplant Salad (凉拌茄子)
This Sichuan style eggplant salad with spicy garlic dressing is an easy, delicious way to enjoy eggplant. The eggplant is steamed until tender, then mixed with an aromatic dressing that is savory and spicy. Serve it as an appetizer or side dish to add a tasty vegetable to your meal. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}To make the dish gluten free, use tamari to replace light soy sauce and use rice vinegar instead of Chinkiang vinegar.
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 Chinese eggplant (about 9 oz. / 270 g)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons homemade chili oil
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon Chinkiang vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 green onion , thinly sliced (reserve some for garnish)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cut eggplant into 2” (5 cm) long 1/2” (1 cm) thick sticks. Stack evenly on a plate that can fit into your steamer.
- Set up your steamer by adding water to the pot and stacking the steaming rack on top. Place the plate of eggplant onto the steaming rack. Heat over medium-high heat, covered, until steam comes out of the steamer. Turn to medium heat. Let steam until eggplant reaches desired doneness, about 10 minutes for a chewy texture, or 15 minutes for a very tender texture. Once done, plate the eggplant in a serving dish.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour it over the steamed eggplant. Garnish with green onion. Stir to mix everything together before eating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 83kcal, Carbohydrates: 5.1g, Protein: 1.1g, Fat: 7.1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 375mg, Potassium: 171mg, Fiber: 2.4g, Sugar: 2.3g, Calcium: 12mg