Thursday, November 14, 2024

Cooking: Sichuan Eggplant, for the weary...

Post Hurricane Helene weary? Cooking is one place where I am in charge. And being a rebel, I often don't follow the recipe! This leads me to many inedible disasters (sorry Melissa). But it also feeds my creativity! 

Hence, my Chinese cooking has alternately shocked or pleased. When I lived a couple months in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, I invited some Chinese friends over for a "Cali-Sino" meal.(1)

"It's a fusion of California vegetarian cooking with Sichuan Chinese," I tried to explain.

So, to escape the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, I decided it was time to rebel and "spin" a new dish. Oh, and I found half an eggplant turning brown in the fridge.

I've always liked the Chinese dish Sichuan Eggplant, but was not a fan of all the oil used (which is absorbed by the eggplant). Some restaurants deep-fat fry the eggplant! This makes lovely, slippery strips of eggplant that slide down my gullet like whole anchovies. But I often pay a price, later, as my digestive system objects :-(

Being rebellious, and in love with my air fryer, I decide to cook the eggplant with only a couple tablespoons of oil, without deep or shallow frying. To be even more creative, I came across a large spice container filled with something that smelled like anise (damn, forgot to label that one). I figured the strong licorice taste would stand up well to the spicy pepper and roasted eggplant.

Here's the recipe I ended up with. It's not authentic, but it's delicious! PS: I did bring back some Sichuan peppercorns (both red and green), which are not peppercorns, but are "the numbing spice".(2) If you don't have any, then leave them out.

Cali-Sino Eggplant

1 eggplant, unpeeled, cut into wedges/strips

2 Tbs peanut oil (or cooking oil)
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs honey (or plum sauce or sweet tamarind sauce or blackberry jam?!)
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (ground)
1 tsp red pepper flakes w/seeds (or 4 hot dried red peppers)
1/2 tsp 
ground anise (or 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice)

I like to cut the eggplant into angular, longer than wide, irregular wedges. I make them small enough to fit in my mouth, but easy enough to pick up with chopsticks. Have you ever tried the "angle cut, rotate 1/4, angle cut"? I love it for cutting carrots, but it works with lots of other vegetables, too, like eggplant.

In a large bowl (large enough to add and stir all the eggplant), put all the other ingredients: oil, soy sauce, honey, peppercorns, pepper flakes, and anise. Mix with a whisk, like making a dressing.

Add the eggplant wedges and toss to coat evenly.

Put in the air fryer for 20 minutes at 400F.

Toss to cook evenly after 10 minutes.

I've served these as-is, or added them to other dishes. Or you can add them to the traditional garlic sauce.(3)

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(1) If you want to read about the meal, visit my blog entry at https://jamescmarch.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/cali-sino-fusion-cuisine-debut/.

(2) Sichuan peppercorns: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/sichuan-peppercorns.

(3) For a more traditional recipe, look here: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/savory-crispy-eggplants/#recipe.

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