Shanghainese · Appetizers & Sides
Shanghai-Style Braised Eggplant with Black Vinegar
Serves 3 to 4 as a side · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 35 minutes
There’s a little Chinkiang vinegar in this Shanghai-style eggplant, and you can taste it even through all that garlic. The eggplant gets soft enough to mash into your rice with the back of a spoon. Make plenty of rice! You’ll want some for the sauce left at the bottom of the plate.
Ingredients
For the eggplant
- 1 pound Chinese eggplant, about 2 to 3 long eggplants
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Cooked white rice, for serving
For the sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons Chinkiang vinegar, divided
Instructions
- 1
Cut the eggplant
Trim off the stems. Cut the eggplant into pieces about 2 inches long, then halve or quarter the thicker sections lengthwise. Keep each piece roughly an inch thick.
Leave the skin on. It helps hold the pieces together once the flesh softens. Pat the cut eggplant dry.
- 2
Mix the sauce
Stir together the water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the Chinkiang vinegar. Save the remaining teaspoon for the end.
- 3
Pan-fry the eggplant
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wide nonstick skillet or well-seasoned wok over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant, with a cut side touching the pan.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn the pieces and cook for another 2 minutes. Look for a little golden color on the flesh. The centers will still feel firm.
Transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon of oil and repeat with the remaining eggplant.
The eggplant will absorb the oil quickly. If the pan starts smoking, lower the heat rather than pouring in more oil.
- 4
Add the garlic and sauce
Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the sliced garlic. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until you can smell the garlic.
Return all the eggplant to the pan. Pour in the sauce and gently turn the pieces to coat them.
- 5
Cover and braise
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then cover and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning the pieces once halfway through.
Press the thickest piece with a spoon. The flesh needs to collapse easily, without a firm or spongy center. Give it another few minutes if it resists. Add a splash of water if the pan starts drying out.
- 6
Finish with the vinegar
Uncover and simmer for another 1 to 3 minutes. Leave enough sauce to spoon over the eggplant when you serve it.
Stir in the remaining teaspoon of Chinkiang vinegar. Taste a piece with some rice before adjusting the seasoning. Add a few drops of soy sauce for more salt, or another small splash of vinegar if you want more tang.
Slide everything onto a serving plate, including the softened garlic and sauce.
Which eggplant should I buy?
Look for long Chinese eggplants with smooth, firm skin. Japanese eggplants work well here too.
For a large globe eggplant, peel away alternating strips of skin and cut the flesh into 1-inch chunks. Check the centers during the braise and allow extra time if they still feel firm.
About the black vinegar
Chinkiang vinegar also goes by Zhenjiang vinegar or 镇江香醋. Adding some after cooking keeps the vinegar noticeable without needing a large amount.
If you don’t have any, start with 1 teaspoon of unseasoned rice vinegar in the sauce. Taste before adding more at the end. Expect a lighter flavor without the maltiness.
Shortcuts and substitutions
No Shaoxing wine: Replace it with dry sherry or another tablespoon of water.
No dark soy sauce: Use another teaspoon of light soy sauce. The eggplant will look lighter.
Prefer to skip pan-frying: Steam the eggplant for 8 to 12 minutes, until tender. Cook the garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil, add the sauce using just ¼ cup water, then gently simmer the steamed eggplant in it for 3 to 5 minutes. Finish with the reserved vinegar.
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