Yu Xiang Qie Hua (Fish-Flavored Eggplant Blossoms)

Yu Xiang Qie Hua

　　Yu Xiang Qie Hua

　　Yu Xiang Qie Hua, or Fish-Flavored Eggplant Blossoms, is a dish made with eggplant cooked in a fish-flavored sauce—hence its name. The finished dish has a bright red color, with a savory, sweet, sour, and spicy taste, highlighted by the aroma of scallions, ginger, and garlic.

　　Ingredients: 750g tender eggplant, 1000g peanut oil (consumes 125g), 30g chopped pickled red chilies, 15g soy sauce, 15g sugar, 15g vinegar, 5g cooking wine, 10g minced ginger, 15g minced garlic, 20g minced scallions, 1g MSG, 100g chicken stock, and an appropriate amount of water starch.

　　Method: 1) Peel the eggplant, score it with floral knife cuts, then cut into pieces 4cm long, 2.5cm wide, and 2cm thick. 2) When the oil in the wok is heated to 60% hot, add the eggplant pieces and deep-fry until thoroughly cooked and softened, then remove. 3) Pour out excess oil from the wok, add the chopped pickled red chilies and stir-fry until fragrant and the oil turns red. Then add minced ginger, scallions, and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Next, add the stock,

　　then the water starch to thicken the sauce. Transfer to a serving plate when done. Notes during preparation: the floral knife cuts on the eggplant should be even. The proportions of seasonings used to create the fish-flavored taste must be well-balanced—none of the salty, sweet, sour, or spicy flavors should overpower the others.