Braised Eggplant

Last updated 2026-11-10 — Braised Eggplant "Lamb braised with eggplant — so fragrant it could knock out even a fool." Without lamb, braised eggplant with potatoes still tastes great. In my hometown of Hazhen, long eggplants are commonly grown. People avoid cutting the eggplants with a knife, believing it taints them with the "iron stench," so they tear them by hand into strips and stir-fry them together with potatoes until tender. Braised eggplant is often cooked with sheep fat. In the county town, round eggplants are more common. When making this dish, people cut the eggplants into chunks and stir-fry them with potatoes before braising, using either sheep fat or lard.