Name: Sichuan Eggplant with Potatoes
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges (4 cups); 1 lb. Japanese or Filipino eggplant, cut into 2×½-inch pieces (8 cups); ¼ cup packaged fermented black soybeans; 1 cup thinly sliced scallions; 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon date sugar or other dry sweetener; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika (for color); ½ teaspoon Sichuan pepper flakes or crushed red pepper; 1½ teaspoons arrowroot powder; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Prep-time: 30 minutes / Ready In: 30 minutes
Makes 6 to 8 cups
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Steaming eggplant before sautéing it helps preserve its bold purple hue, giving this dish a gorgeous pop of color that will wow any crowd. Toss the vibrant veggie with hearty potato wedges for extra substance, and coat the combo in a savory Chinese-inspired sauce featuring fermented black soybeans and tongue-tingling Sichuan pepper flakes. Fermented black soybeans, called douchi in Mandarin, come whole and need to be mashed to mix their delicious, umami flavor with other aromatic ingredients. Sprinkle everything with chopped cilantro for a fresh herbal finish, and dig in!

Tip: You can find fermented black soybeans at Asian markets and online. If you need a substitute, mash ½ cup rinsed and drained canned adzuki beans with 1½ teaspoons dark miso paste.

For more eggplant recipes, check out these tasty ideas:

By Darshana Thacker Wendel, Aug 31, 2022

Ingredients

1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges (4 cups)
1 lb. Japanese or Filipino eggplant, cut into 2×½-inch pieces (8 cups)
¼ cup packaged fermented black soybeans
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon date sugar or other dry sweetener
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons sweet paprika (for color)
½ teaspoon Sichuan pepper flakes or crushed red pepper
1½ teaspoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Place potato wedges in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, 10 minutes or until cooked through but still firm. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Place eggplant in steamer basket. Steam, covered, 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.
For sauce, in a bowl mash fermented beans with the back of a spoon. Add the next seven ingredients (through Sichuan pepper) and 1 cup water. Mix well.
Heat a wok or nonstick skillet over medium. Add sauce; bring to boiling.
In a small bowl whisk together arrowroot powder and 2 tablespoons water. Add to wok along with steamed potatoes and eggplant. Mix well. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through and sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with cilantro.

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(3.67 from 3 votes)

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Sara8 months ago

This dish came in handy for using up my potatoes and eggplant. It was delicious and not difficult to make. I substituted regular eggplant and red-skinned potatoes, and I didn’t bother peeling the latter. Thank you!

Lisa Tomsio2 months ago

Bland, odd taste with the fermented beans. Would not make again.

Elaine9 months ago

Too often, there aren’t any reviews. Disappointing.

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about the author

Darshana Thacker Wendel

Darshana Thacker Wendel is a whole-food, plant-based chef and former culinary projects manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she is the author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! She created the recipes for Forks Over Knives Family and was a lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan. Her recipes have been published in The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, and LA Yoga magazine online. Visit DarshanasKitchen.com and follow her on Instagram for more.

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