Fried Eggplant With Pork & Fermented Tofu
Jenny Dorsey
Test Kitchen-Approved
Photo by Rocky Luten. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Prop Stylist: Sophie Strangio.
- Serves
- 4 to 6
- Prep Time
- 30 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 Hour 30 Minutes
A take on my mother’s yu xiang qie zi, or “fish-fragrant” eggplant. For more stories, memories, and extended histories behind your most-loved, treasured family recipes from the column, check out our new podcast My Family Recipe.
Ingredients
Pressure-cooked pig ears
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 22 gram (6 cloves) garlic, smashed
- 1 Thai bird's eye chile, sliced lengthwise (optional)
- 1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
- 100 gram shiitake mushrooms, caps only, sliced
- 18 gram ginger, sliced
- 17 gram cilantro, chopped
- 50 gram Chinese celery, chopped (regular celery works, too)
- 20 gram sweet white miso
- 1 1/2 pound (3 large) pig ears
- 1/4 cup quality soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon black vinegar
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted chicken or pork stock
Wok-fried eggplant & fermented tofu sauce
- 2 pound Chinese or Japanese eggplant, chopped into 2 1/2–inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 cup canola oil
- 2 tablespoon peanut oil
- 25 gram (8 cloves) garlic, minced
- 1/2 gram small yellow onion, minced
- 1 Thai bird's eye chile, sliced lengthwise
- 12 gram (1 tablespoon) ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 55 gram (2 tablespoons) fermented tofu curd—I use Sze Schuan brand
- 55 gram (2 tablespoons) soybean paste—I use Healthy Boy brand
- 33 gram (1 tablespoon) shrimp paste—I use Super brand
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 15 gram (1 tablespoon) palm sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 4 gram (1 tablespoon) green Sichuan peppercorn
- 3 gram (1 tablespoon) coriander seeds
- 1 gram (1 pod) star anise
- 1 gram (1 teaspoon) ground urfa pepper
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon quality soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon black vinegar
- 20 gram (2 tablespoons) culantro (not cilantro!!), minced
Featured Video
Fried Eggplant With Pork & Fermented Tofu
Featured in: I’m Chinese, but It Took Me 28 Years to Buy My First Wok.
Directions
Pressure-cooked pig ears
- Step 1
In an electric pressure cooker (such as the Instant Pot), heat vegetable oil on the "Sauté" function 1 minute. Add garlic, chile, onion, shiitake, ginger and sauté 5 minutes. Add cilantro, celery, and miso and mix thoroughly, sautéing another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off "Sauté" function.
- Step 2
Add pig ears, soy sauce, mirin, and black vinegar, and stock and mix thoroughly. Switch to "Pressure Cook" function and cook on high pressure 1 hour.
- Step 3
After 1 hour, natural-release the pressure completely, uncover, then turn on the "Sauté" function again. Let liquid reduce by half.
- Step 4
Turn off pressure cooker and carefully remove pig ears from liquid. Let cool 5 minutes, scraping off excess ingredients. Mince and set aside for later.
Wok-fried eggplant & fermented tofu sauce
- Step 1
Prepare the eggplant: Sprinkle salt on eggplant and let sit 20 minutes. Press eggplant with paper towels to remove all excess water.
- Step 2
Heat canola oil in a wok over high heat until oil temperature reaches 375°F. Reduce heat to medium. Add eggplant and fry until white flesh is nicely browned and purple exterior is crisp, roughly 5 to 8 minutes. Remove eggplant from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Step 3
Remove excess oil from wok. Wipe dry with paper towels.
- Step 4
Make the fermented tofu sauce: Heat peanut oil over medium heat until slick and shiny. Add garlic, onion, bird’s eye chile and ginger with a dash of salt. Reduce heat to low and sauté 15 minutes.
- Step 5
Turn heat to high. Add minced, reserved pig ears to wok with a dash of salt. Cook 3 minutes. Deglaze pan with Shaoxing wine and reduce until nearly dry. Add tofu curd, soybean paste, shrimp paste, palm sugar, and white pepper and sauté another 3 minutes.
- Step 6
Meanwhile, grind Sichuan peppercorn, coriander, star anise, and urfa pepper in spice grinder until coarsely ground. Add to pork mixture and cook 1 minute. Remove from wok and set aside until ready to assemble.
- Step 7
To assemble the final dish, heat empty wok on high heat until smoking. This next part's a quick dance (you ready?): Add peanut oil and heat 1 minute. Add eggplant and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add soy sauce to edges of wok, letting it caramelize and cook with eggplant 30 seconds. Add fermented tofu sauce and stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes. Add black vinegar to edges of wok, letting it caramelize and cook with eggplant 30 seconds. Remove wok from heat. Stir in culantro and serve.