Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my Chinese eggplant recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
How To Cook Chinese Eggplant
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Coconut Aminos – If you avoid soy like I do, this is my go-to soy sauce substitute. I actually prefer it over soy sauce, because it’s a little sweet, but you can use low-sodium soy sauce if you like. Honey – This is totally optional, but I recommend a tablespoon for a touch of sweetness and balance. While I use my Wholesome Yum sugar-free honey, regular honey works fine. Rice Vinegar – Its tangy flavor brightens up the dish. White wine vinegar would be the closest substitute, but you can also use apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Sea Salt & Black Pepper – If you like a more intense kick, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, or even crushed dried Thai chilis (you can use them to make my hunan beef for your main dish).
Toasted Sesame Oil – I don’t recommend cooking with it, because it burns easily, but it’s perfect at the end for a rich, nutty taste. Green Onions – Sometimes these are called scallions at the store. Sesame Seeds – For a light crunch and extra texture.
Replace the sesame oil and sesame seeds with peanut oil and chopped peanuts. Thai basil instead of green onions also pairs nicely with this combo.
Chicken – Pair it with my teriyaki chicken or honey garlic chicken for an easy meal. Beef – My favorite option is a Korean beef bowl, even though it’s not Chinese, because I can add the Chinese eggplant as a topping. It also goes well with my pepper steak recipe or Thai beef salad. Pork – Try my honey garlic pork chops and egg roll in a bowl. For a savory crunch, my crispy pork belly is perfect. Vegetarian – If you want to serve this as a main dish, I recommend adding a drained can of chickpeas to the eggplant stir fry for protein. Then, serve over your favorite rice (or my go-to quick option, frozen cauliflower rice) or even shirataki noodles. You can also serve any of the main dishes above over these.
Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Nutrition info does not include the optional honey. Now I’m excited to try my roasted eggplant and air fryer eggplant recipes using Chinese eggplant. I can see it working with any eggplant recipe, really, but I’ll bet there are more Asian recipes that it’s best for. Have you cooked with Chinese eggplant before? What did you make? Let me know in the comments below — I’d love more ideas to use this veggie.
