Chinese Vegetable · chinese cuisine

Garlic Sichuan Fish-Fragrant Eggplant

Fry eggplant until creamy inside, then sauce it sharp-sweet. Underfried eggplant drinks oil forever.

By Hasnain Khan · Tested in a home kitchen · Updated 2026-08-10

Why this recipe works

"Fish-fragrant" does not mean seafood. It means the flavour profile once used for fish: pickled chilli, garlic, ginger, sweet, sour, and savoury. Eggplant drinks oil, so I salt and lightly fry or air-fry to keep it lush without a greasy pool. Pixian doubanjiang gives the fermented chilli backbone that makes this taste like a proper Sichuan kitchen.

Ingredients

• 2 large Chinese eggplants, cut into batons
• Salt for sweating eggplant
• 2 tbsp Pixian doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
• 4 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp ginger, 2 spring onions
• Sauce: 1 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cornstarch, ½ cup water
• Neutral oil for frying or roasting

Step-by-step method

1. Toss eggplant with salt, rest 15 minutes, pat dry. Fry in batches until golden and soft, or roast/air-fry with a light oil coat at 220°C until collapsed and browned.
2. In a wok, fry doubanjiang in a little oil until the oil turns red. Add garlic, ginger, and spring onion whites.
3. Add eggplant, pour sauce, and toss until thick and glossy.
4. Finish with spring onion greens. Serve with rice.

Estimated nutrition

About 380 calories per serving (based on 4 servings). Values are estimates for home cooks and vary by brands, oil used, and portion size — not lab-analysed.

Serving ideas & leftovers

Serve hot, taste for seasoning at the table, and store leftovers in an airtight container once cool. Most of these dishes reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, stock, or the dish’s own sauce so the texture stays kind.

This recipe is original CookMe editorial content for home cooks. Nutrition varies by brands and portions. If you have allergies, check every label. CookMe may display ads via partners such as Mediavine; see our Privacy Policy and Advertising Disclosure.