Fish-Fragrant Aubergine (Yu Xiang Qie Zi)

Ingredients

• 700 g Chinese or Japanese aubergines, slender, 2–3 cm diameter; cut into 6 cm × 1.5 cm batons
• 1 tsp fine salt, for drawing moisture
• For deep-frying (restaurant method)
• 1 litre neutral oil, for deep-frying at 180 °C
• For dry-frying (home method)
• 60 ml neutral oil, 3–4 tablespoons
• For the yu xiang sauce
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang, Sichuan fermented broad-bean and chilli paste
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 20 g fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 3 stalks spring onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar
• 1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water to form a slurry

Method

1. 1
   Toss the aubergine batons with fine salt and leave to rest for 20–30 minutes. The salt draws moisture from the cells through osmosis. Press the batons firmly but gently with paper towels until visibly drier. The aubergine is ready when the towels show clear moisture uptake and the flesh feels slightly denser.
2. 2
   RESTAURANT METHOD — Heat neutral oil to 180 °C in a wok or deep pan. Lower the aubergine batons in batches and fry for 2–3 minutes until the flesh is fully soft and the exterior is pale gold. Lift, drain on a rack or paper towels. HOME METHOD — Heat 60 ml oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the aubergine and fry, turning occasionally, for 8–10 minutes; the batons will drink the oil initially, then release it as the cells collapse. In both cases, proceed when each baton yields completely to a gentle press with a spoon — no resistance remaining.
3. 3
   This is where the dish lives or dies. Before any sauce is added, press a baton between the fingers: it must feel like soft butter — collapsing with minimal pressure, skin tender, flesh fully yielded but intact. Aubergine that shows any residual firmness here will not soften further in the brief sauce stage; the final texture will be uneven and the preparation irrecoverable. Cook on if any resistance persists.
4. 4
   Return the wok to medium heat with a film of oil. Add the doubanjiang and fry, stirring continuously, for 2–3 minutes. The paste should darken slightly and release its red-tinged oil into the wok; the smell should shift from raw ferment to a deeper, rounded savouriness.
5. 5
   Add the chopped garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until their raw sharpness gives way to a bright, fragrant aroma rising from the wok.
6. 6
   Add the pre-cooked aubergine batons to the wok and toss to coat each piece with the doubanjiang paste. Add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, sugar, and Chinkiang vinegar in sequence, tossing between additions. The sauce should coat the aubergine without pooling; taste for the simultaneous presence of the five elements — sweet, sour, hot, savoury, and aromatic — adjusting vinegar or sugar by small increments if the balance is one-sided.
7. 7
   Add the spring onion and stir through. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and toss over the heat for 30 seconds. The sauce should tighten to a light, glossy glaze that clings to the aubergine without becoming starchy or heavy; the surface of each baton should shine. Serve immediately.