If you are looking for a delicious vegetarian braised dish, today let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen to change things up with 3 unique and appealing eggplant dishes that are incredibly flavorful and perfect for the whole family to enjoy. Let’s get started right away!
1. Vegetarian Braised Eggplant
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
25 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetarian Braised Eggplant Serves 5 people
Eggplant 300 gr (2 large) Dried shiitake mushrooms 50 gr Tofu 400 gr Onion 70 gr (1 small) Chili pepper 1 piece Cilantro 2 sprigs Thai basil 1 sprig Ginger 15 gr (1/2 small piece) Cornstarch 2 tablespoons Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Fresh coconut water 200 ml Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 6 tablespoons Vinegar 1 tablespoon Common spices a little (sugar/ pepper/ monosodium glutamate)
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose good dried shiitake mushrooms
- You should choose mushrooms with intact caps, not broken, and with a bright brown color.
- Avoid purchasing mushrooms that show signs of mold, have strange smells, and smell musty when sniffed.
- Currently, you can easily buy dried shiitake mushrooms at markets or supermarkets and TasteVN nationwide with a price for a 50g bag ranging from 28,000 – 30,000 VND (updated on 10/05/2021).
- When buying, you should choose bags of mushrooms that are well-packaged, not torn, and have a clear origin.
How to choose good tofu
- Good tofu will have an off-white color, feel light when picked up, have a smooth surface, and have a faint, delicious soy smell.
- Avoid mistakenly buying pieces of tofu that are turning yellow, feel heavy when lifted, and have a faint smell of lime because these pieces may contain added gypsum, which is very unhealthy if consumed.
- To ensure safety, you should buy tofu from reputable tofu production shops or you can try making tofu at home with simple steps guided by TasteVN.
How to make Braised Eggplant in Clay Pot (Vegetarian)
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Prepare the ingredients
Dried shiitake mushrooms should be soaked in water for about 1 – 2 hours until they expand, then rinse the mushrooms with clean water, cut off the stems, and slice them into quarters.
Correct way to soak shiitake mushrooms
- Method 1: Soak the mushrooms in water for about 1 – 2 hours, then rinse with clean water and drain before cooking.
- Method 2: To make the mushrooms expand faster, you can soak them in warm water at 60 – 80 degrees Celsius for 7 – 10 minutes.
The eggplant should be cut into small rounds about 2.5 finger lengths using a knife, then cut those rounds into bite-sized pieces and soak them in a mixture of salted water and vinegar for about 5 minutes, then rinse with water and drain.
The onion should be peeled and cut into wedges. The ginger should be cleaned and minced. The tofu should be patted dry with paper towels until the outer layer is dry, then cut into pieces about 1 finger thick. The chili should be cleaned and sliced.
The basil and cilantro should have any wilted or worm-eaten leaves removed, then wash them clean with water and let them drain. The garlic should be peeled and minced.
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Fried Tofu and Eggplant
Put 5 tablespoons of cooking oil into the pan, wait until the oil is hot, then add 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, stir well, and add the cut tofu.
Fry over high heat for about 3 minutes until the tofu is golden brown, then take it out and place it on paper towels to absorb the oil, then turn off the heat.
Next, add another tablespoon of cornstarch into the pan, turn the heat on, stir well, and add the eggplant. Fry over high heat for about 3 minutes until the eggplant is slightly golden, then remove and place it on paper towels.
The effect of cornstarch when frying
Cornstarch helps to reduce oil splatter during cooking. Just adding a little cornstarch to the oil will prevent oil from splattering out.
How to fry tofu until golden and crispy
- First, you need to choose tofu pieces that feel smooth and have moderate elasticity when held, not too crumbly or too mushy.
- Second, use a high-quality non-stick pan to easily turn the tofu without breaking it.
- Third, prepare the tofu correctly before frying.
See details: How to fry tofu to be crispy and golden without sticking to the pan
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Sauté mushrooms
Using the pan that just fried the eggplant, add 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, stir well, then add the shiitake mushrooms. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until the mushrooms are cooked, then remove and place them on paper towels along with the tofu and eggplant.
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Marinate tofu and eggplant
Add the fried eggplant and tofu with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 2/3 tablespoon of sugar, 1/5 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1/5 teaspoon of ground pepper into bowl.
Then toss well so that the tofu and eggplant are evenly coated, then stop.
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Braised Eggplant
Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan, wait until the oil is hot, then add minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until the garlic and ginger are fragrant, then reduce to medium heat and add all the marinated tofu and carrots.
Stir well for about 1 – 2 minutes, then add the fried mushrooms, and continue to stir for another 3 – 4 minutes until all ingredients are coated with the seasoning, then turn off the heat.
Next, place a earthen pot on the stove, then add 200ml of fresh coconut water to the bowl with the eggplant and tofu, ensuring all the sauce is used and pour it into the earthen pot. Cook until the fresh coconut water boils, then add the eggplant, mushrooms, and tofu that have just been stir-fried.
Continue to braise while flipping with medium heat for about 5 minutes until the coconut water is absorbed, soaking into the eggplant and tofu, then season again to taste.
Next, add sliced onion, chili, 1/5 teaspoon of pepper, and a little basil and cilantro, stir well, and then turn off the heat.
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Finished product
The vegetarian braised eggplant will have an attractive aroma of oyster sauce and coconut water after cooking.
Tasting a piece, you will feel the soft, delicious tofu combined with the fragrant shiitake mushrooms and the flavorful eggplant. The braising sauce is rich.
Poured over hot rice and served with fresh vegetables like: tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce,… what could be better, right guys?
2. Vegetarian Braised Eggplant
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Preparation
5 minutes
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Cooking
10 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetarian Braised Eggplant Serves 5 people
Eggplant 1 piece Green onions 3 stalks Red onions 1/2 bulb Garlic 4 cloves Bird’s eye chili 8 fruits Color water 1 tablespoon Vegetarian fish sauce 3 tablespoons Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Common spices a little (salt/msg/seasoning sugar/pepper)
Ingredient images
How to cook Eggplant with Vegetarian Sauce
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Prepare the ingredients
Eggplants bought should be diced into bite-sized pieces and placed in a bowl with 200ml of water and 1 teaspoon of salt, mix well and soak for about 5 minutes to remove the bitterness and prevent the eggplant from turning black. After soaking, rinse them with clean water.
Green onions should be washed and chopped finely. Shallots and garlic should be peeled, crushed, and minced. For the chili, take 2, wash them, and chop them finely.
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Make the sauce
Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into a pan, wait until the oil is hot, then add the minced garlic and shallots.
Sauté until fragrant, then turn off the heat and add 250ml of filtered water (about 1 rice bowl of filtered water) along with 3 tablespoons of vegetarian fish sauce.
Turn the heat back on and add 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1/3 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce.
Stir while cooking on low heat until the seasonings dissolve, then add 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper and the remaining 6 chilies, mix well to complete the sauce.
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Stewing eggplant
After the sauce is cooked, add the cleaned eggplant.
Stir well and stew on low heat for about 5 – 6 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns a beautiful light brown color, then add chopped scallions and chopped chili, mix well, taste and adjust seasoning to your liking, then turn off the heat.
Note: To prevent the eggplant from burning and to absorb the seasoning evenly, remember to stir the eggplant while stewing!
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Finished Product
The vegetarian braised eggplant will have an attractive bright brown color once completed. The sauce will be thick and rich, blending salty, sweet, and spicy flavors. The eggplant will be sweet and evenly infused with spices.
Just add a bowl of hot rice and some fresh and boiled vegetables, and it will be perfect!
3. Vegetarian Braised Eggplant in Clay Pot (Recipe shared by Tiktok Vegetarian Kitchen XANH)
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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetarian Braised Eggplant in Clay Pot (Recipe shared by Tiktok Vegetarian Kitchen XANH) Serves 2
Eggplant 1 piece Shiitake mushrooms 50 grams Fried tofu 1 piece Okra 100 grams Chili 1 piece Minced ginger 1 tablespoon Seasoning A little (soy sauce/ vegetarian oyster sauce/ sugar/ pepper)
Utensils
How to choose ingredients
How to choose delicious shiitake mushrooms
For dried mushrooms
- You should choose dried mushrooms that are firm, bright in color, and free from white mold spots and unpleasant odors.
- To buy good dried shiitake mushrooms, you should choose a reputable source to ensure origin and food safety.
For fresh mushrooms
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms usually have a slightly yellow-brown color, are not slimy, and have a characteristic aroma. Especially, fresh mushrooms will have a thin layer of fuzz on the cap.
- You should choose mushrooms with a firm stem and uniform color. Avoid selecting damaged mushrooms with milky white cuts, as this is a sign of poisonous mushrooms.
Ingredient Image
How to cook Vegetarian Braised Eggplant (Recipe shared by Tiktok Vegetarian Kitchen XANH)
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Prepare the ingredients
After purchasing, wash the eggplant thoroughly and cut off the stem. Next, slice the eggplant into rounds and then cut into long strips suitable for eating.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes. After that, rinse them with cold water, squeeze with your hands to remove excess water, cut off the mushroom stems, and then cut them in half.
Wash the okra, then cut into pieces about 3 finger lengths long.
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Lightly fry the eggplant and make the braising sauce
You heat the oil in a pan, wait for the oil to get hot and then add the eggplant to lightly fry until golden. Similarly, you also lightly fry the okra.
Next, you heat another pan, sauté a little cooking oil with 1 tablespoon of minced ginger.
Add to that 6 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vegetarian oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 cup of water into the pan. You can adjust the ratios according to your taste.
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Vegetarian eggplant stew
You arrange the eggplant, fried tofu, and shiitake mushrooms in a pot and pour the braising sauce over. Once the mixture simmers, add the lightly fried okra, stir well and braise for another 2 minutes, adding a little sliced chili to finish.
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Final Product
Delicious and attractive vegetarian braised eggplant with soft eggplant, chewy mushrooms, and rich tofu blended with a flavorful braising sauce. This dish served with rice will surely make you eat a lot!
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Eggplant
- When buying eggplant, you should observe and choose those with bright, even color, the stem should still be fresh and firmly attached to the fruit.
- Choose ripe fruits that feel heavy when held, and leave a dent when touched. Do not choose fruits that are too immature with green skin or those that are too old, as these will not taste good when braised.
- Additionally, avoid fruits that have wrinkled skin, are discolored, have withered stems, or lack stems.
See more
I hope that with the steps above, you will successfully prepare 3 dishes of braised eggplant and vegetarian dipping sauce and have a joyful meal with your family! Wish you success!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel Vành Khuyên Lê, DELICIOUS DISHES EASY TO MAKE and Tiktok Vegetarian Kitchen XANH!
