P
Chinese · Sichuan
Mapo Eggplant
Mapo eggplant (di san xian's spicy cousin) takes the Sichuan mapo sauce framework — doubanjiang, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorn, and chilli oil — and applies it to silky, oil-braised eggplant that absorbs the sauce into its interior. The result is an intensely flavoured vegetarian dish where the eggplant acts as a vehicle for the complex, numbing-hot sauce. The eggplant must be cooked until completely silky — no firmness remaining.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
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600 g
Chinese eggplant
cut into 5 cm batons
Your own market
45 ml
neutral oil
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
30 g
Sichuan peppercorns
lightly toasted and crushed
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15 g
fermented black beans (douche)
rinsed
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
4
garlic cloves
minced
Your own market
15 g
60 g
ground pork (80/20)
Your own market
30 ml
Chinkiang black vinegar
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
30 ml
light soy sauce
10 ml
sesame oil
Your own market
5 g
cornstarch mixed with 30 ml water
Your own market
2
green onions
sliced
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Heat neutral oil in wok over high heat until smoking; working in batches, fry eggplant batons 3–4 minutes per batch until golden and tender, transfer to plate.
2
Add 15 ml fresh oil to wok; bloom Sichuan peppercorns 30 seconds, then add fermented black beans, garlic, and ginger—stir constantly 1 minute.
3
Add ground pork, breaking into small pieces with wok turner; cook 2–3 minutes until no pink remains.
4
Return eggplant to wok; pour in black vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil; toss to coat evenly.
5
Stir cornstarch slurry and pour into wok; toss continuously 1–2 minutes until sauce clings and gloss forms.
6
Finish with sliced green onions and taste for balance of heat, acidity, and salt.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where mapo eggplant lives or dies is the eggplant pre-fry — the pieces must be cooked in enough hot oil until they are completely soft and translucent. This takes 4-5 minutes of active cooking over high heat. Under-cooked eggplant at this stage will remain firm in the final dish and will not absorb the sauce. The correctly pre-fried eggplant is slightly collapsed, silky, and deeply golden on the exterior.
Pillars V — VII
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