This crispy aubergine with spicy Sichuan dressing is full of flavour. Its a moderately complex dish. Takes about 30-40 minutes to prepare and cook, requiring some effort in deep-frying and making the dressing. The result is a delightful combination of crispy texture and bold, spicy-sweet flavours that will tantalize your taste buds.
Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Serves
Serves 2–4
Dietary
Vegetarian
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen
This recipe is high in fat and sodium, with moderate sugar content (nutri-score).
Ingredients
For the aubergine:
- Vegetable oil, for deep fat fryer
- Plain flour, 30g
- Rice flour, 40g
- Cornflour, 15g
- Free-range egg, 1
- Almond milk, 120ml
- Large aubergine, 1, cut into 2–3cm dice
For the dressing:
- Garlic cloves, 2, crushed
- Fresh ginger, 1 tbsp, finely chopped
- Brown sugar, 2 tbsp
- Chinese black vinegar, 1 tbsp
- Sichuan peppercorns, ½ tsp, crushed
- Chilli garlic sauce, 1 tbsp
- Light soy sauce, 100ml
- Toasted white sesame seeds, 1 tsp
- Sesame oil, ½ tsp
- Cornflour, 1 tbsp
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the garnish:
- Crispy shallots, 2 tbsp
- Spring onions, 2, finely sliced
- Coriander sprigs, 2 tbsp
- Red chilli, 1, finely sliced
Method
Prepare the Aubergine
- Preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C/350F. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
- Mix plain flour, rice flour, and cornflour in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk egg and almond milk in a separate shallow bowl to form a batter.
- Dip aubergine pieces first into the flour mix, then into the batter.
- Deep fry until golden and crisp.
- Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen roll.
Make the Dressing
- Place all dressing ingredients except cornflour in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Mix together and whisk in cornflour to thicken (2-4 minutes).
- Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve
- Spoon the hot dressing over the aubergines.
- Garnish with crispy shallots, spring onions, coriander, and red chilli.
Nutri-score Health Check
This recipe receives a Nutri-Score of D, indicating it’s a less healthy option. The score is primarily due to the deep-frying method, which adds significant fat content. The dressing contains added sugars and high sodium from soy sauce. However, the dish does include vegetables (aubergine) and some beneficial ingredients like ginger and garlic. To improve the score, consider oven-baking the aubergine instead of frying, reducing sugar in the dressing, and using low-sodium soy sauce.
