3 Easy Ways to Make Delicious Vegetarian Fried Eggplant for the Family

How to Make Fried Eggplant with Soy Sauce

• 1

  Prepare the Ingredients

  You prepare a clean bowl of water, then cut the eggplant into three sections and then into pieces about 1 finger thick, soak in water for about 5 minutes, then rinse clean and drain in a basket.

  Tip:

  • You can peel the skin if you don’t like eating it; however, leaving the skin on will prevent the eggplant from getting mushy when frying.
  • After washing, remember to let the eggplant drain thoroughly in the basket; otherwise, it will splatter oil when frying!

  Green onions should be washed thoroughly, then divide the roots and the leaves. For the roots, chop finely to sauté for fragrance, while the leaves should be cut into pieces about the length of a finger.

  Chili peppers should also be washed clean and sliced thinly.

  Tip: For those who are strictly vegan, you can replace green onions with shallots!

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Fry the eggplant

  Place a pan on the stove, when the pan is hot, add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, then add the eggplant and fry until it is charred and golden, then turn it over and continue frying until both sides are evenly golden.

  Continue frying the remaining eggplant until finished, then place on a plate.

  Tip:

  • Using plenty of oil when frying the eggplant will help it cook quickly, retain its softness, and not fall apart.
  • Frying the eggplant until golden will enhance the dish’s aroma and taste.

  

  

  
• 3

  Making soy sauce

  In the hot frying oil pan, add the green onion roots and sauté until fragrant, then turn off the heat and add 2.5 teaspoons of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce.

  Turn the heat back on, simmer the sauce on low heat until the seasonings dissolve and thicken, then add half of the chopped chili and green onions, stir well until the onions are cooked, then turn off the heat.

  Pour the hot sauce evenly over the fried eggplant, decorate with the remaining eggplant and chili on top to finish!

  

  

  

  How to make Fried Eggplant with Oyster Sauce

  • 1

    Prepare the eggplant

    After purchasing, wash the eggplant thoroughly with cold water, then use a knife to cut it into thick diagonal slices about the thickness of a finger, remembering to remove the stem and tail ends of the eggplant.

    

    
  • 2

    Mix the batter

    Pour the frying flour into a bowl and mix with cold water in a 1:1 ratio, 150g of frying flour with 150ml of water.

    Pour the breadcrumb mixture into a wide-rimmed bowl so that it’s easier to roll the eggplant in the flour when frying.

    Tip:

    • The batter after mixing should have a thick consistency; when dipping the eggplant into the batter, it should still stick and not completely slide off.
    • If the batter is too thin, add more flour; conversely, if it’s too thick to dip the eggplant, add more water. When adding, it’s best to use a spoon to add slowly to avoid overdoing it!

    

    

    
  • 3

    Dip the eggplant in batter and fry

    Place a pan on the stove, then add plenty of cooking oil depending on the depth of the pan to deep fry the eggplant!

    Dip the eggplant in the crispy batter, roll it evenly on all sides, then immediately coat it with breadcrumbs, rolling it until the breadcrumbs stick around all sides, then place it in the frying pan.

    Do the same until all the eggplant is used up and fry the eggplant over low heat until the batter turns golden brown, then remove it and let it drain oil.

    Note: When frying the eggplant, remember to fry it until it is really golden, avoiding the batter from becoming too burnt. Because if you fry the batter not cooked thoroughly, it will become soggy after being taken out of the oil.

    

    

    

    
  • 4

    Make oyster sauce

    Place a pan on the stove, when the pan is hot, add 3 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of seasoning, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of vegetarian oyster sauce, stir well and simmer on low heat until the sauce boils, then turn off the heat.

    Add 1 tablespoon of minced ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of minced chili, stir the mixture well.

    When serving, you can pour the sauce directly over the eggplant, then sprinkle cilantro on top. If not using immediately, you can also arrange the fried eggplant on a plate, serve the sauce in a dipping bowl, and top with cilantro!

    Note:

    • If not eating immediately, do not pour the oyster sauce over the eggplant right away as leaving it too long will make the fried coating lose its crispiness.
    • When serving, sprinkle cilantro on top of the sauce, as adding it while the sauce is hot will cause the cilantro to lose its aroma!

    

    

    

    
  • 5

    Final Product

    Deep-fried eggplant with oyster sauce is crispy on the outside and sweet and fragrant on the inside, combined with a thick and rich oyster sauce.

    This dish can also be enjoyed as a snack! Especially on cold rainy days, having this dish to nibble on is simply perfect, isn’t it!