Vegetarian Chinese Eggplant Recipes

Eggplant has become increasingly popular in recent years, and there are more vegetarian Chinese eggplant recipes than ever to chose from. There are basically two seasons for eggplant, November to March and again from June to October. There are several varieties of eggplant for you to choose from. The most popular types are Italian purple, white, Chinese and baby eggplant. Eggplant has about 30 calories per cup but is a little on the high side when it comes to carbohydrates. It is low in protein which makes it a poor meat substitute for vegetarians. It is, however, a good source of vitamins A, B-complex and C. It is also very high in potassium. After an extensive search of the many vegetarian Chinese eggplant recipes available, here are our top two. 

To make vegetarian Szechwan spicy eggplant, you will need: 

• 1 large eggplant, diced
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (you can substitute vegetable oil)

1. Remove the stem from the eggplant and cut it into one-inch cubes. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the soy sauce, chili sauce, sugar, ground black pepper and oyster sauce. Stir together well and set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water and set aside.
2. Coat a large, deep pan with cooking spray. Put the heat on high and allow a few minutes for it to get very hot.
3. Saute the garlic, half of the green onions and the ginger. This usually takes between three to five minutes. Stir constantly until they have browned.
4. Add the eggplant to the pan and stir everything together. Pour the reserved soy sauce mixture into the pan, completely coating the veggies.
5. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium.  Simmer for fifteen minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture. Heat until thickened. 
7. Add  the rest of the green onions and the sesame oil to the pan. Serve over steamed rice or chow mein noodles.

This vegetarian Chinese eggplant recipe makes four servings. Make sure that you cut the eggplant into equally-sized cubes to ensure uniformity when cooking. Also, you can adjust the chili powder to accommodate the level of spiciness you desire.

To make hot and sour vegetarian Chinese eggplant, you will need:

• 2 long Chinese eggplants, cubed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 green chili pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoons chili oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place the cubed eggplant into a large bowl. Try to make sure the cubes are equal in size. Sprinkle with salt.
2. Fill the bowl with enough water to cover the cubes and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse well and drain.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, chili pepper, chili oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar and corn starch. Whisk the contents of the small bowl to make the sauce. Set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in a wok over medium high heat. Place the eggplant in the wok and cook until browned. This should take five to ten minutes.
5. Add the sauce to the wok and stir. Reduce the heat and cook until the sauce thickens and is evenly distributed over the eggplant. Serve immediately.

These vegetarian Chinese eggplant recipes are  easy to make and sure to please. They will leave your family and friends impressed with your international culinary skills.