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1
Toss the eggplant batons with the fine salt and leave to stand for 20 minutes. Squeeze firmly in a clean cloth until the flesh is noticeably drier. The batons should feel pliant but not wet to the touch.
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2
Choose your cooking path. Deep-fry method: heat neutral oil to 180 °C and fry the eggplant in batches for 2–3 minutes until the surface is lightly coloured and the interior has completely collapsed to a silky texture. Drain on paper. Wok-fry method: heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat and stir-fry the salted, squeezed eggplant, pressing occasionally, until every baton is fully soft and translucent throughout — no white or firm core remains. This is where the dish lives or dies: eggplant that is not completely soft and silky before the sauce arrives cannot be rescued afterwards.
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3
Drain or push the eggplant to the side of the wok. In the remaining oil over medium-high heat, fry the chopped pickled chili for 30 seconds until fragrant and the oil begins to colour. Add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the scallion and stir-fry a further 20–30 seconds until the raw edge of the garlic disappears and the aromatics smell toasted rather than sharp.
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4
Return the eggplant to the centre of the wok. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Toss everything together for no more than 30 seconds — the liquid should bubble actively and the eggplant should take on the reddish colour of the sauce.
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5
Pour in the starch slurry and toss rapidly. The sauce will thicken within seconds and coat each piece in a glossy, clinging film. Remove from heat the moment the sauce turns translucent.
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6
Transfer to a serving dish. Scatter the green scallion tops over the surface and drizzle with sesame oil. Taste: the correct yu xiang profile is simultaneously chili-hot, sour, sweet, and savoury — no single note should dominate.