Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce

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I love eggplants and this Chinese eggplant with spicy garlic sauce is perfectly tasty and satisfying. It’s perfect with rice or noodles, of course!

Chinese or Japanese eggplants work beautifully here because they’re tender, slightly sweet, and cook quickly. Soaking the eggplant in salty water before frying draws out extra moisture, preventing excess oil absorption.

Bowl of Chinese fried eggplant with spicy garlic sauce, with small red bell pepper pieces and thinly sliced green onions

The sauce is a vibrant mix of doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), soy sauce, black vinegar, and sugar, with the numbing fragrance of Sichuan peppercorn.

Close up of Chinese fried eggplant with spicy garlic sauce, with small red bell pepper pieces and thinly sliced green onions

You can toss the eggplant in the sauce for maximum flavor—or keep the coating extra crisp by pouring the sauce over just before serving.

Tossing fried eggplant in sauce with red bell peppers and chili in a wok

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS SPICY GARLIC EGGPLANT

🍆 Eggplants

1 lb Chinese or Japanese eggplants
1 tsp salt
1 bowl of water (~4 cups water)
1/4 cup corn starch or potato starch
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder

🔥 For Stir-Frying

1 tbsp neutral oil
1 tsp ginger minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorn
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 bird’s eye chili optional, for extra heat

🥢 Sauce

1/2 tbsp doubanjiang fermented chili bean paste
2 tbsp soy sauce to taste
1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
2 –3 tsp sugar to taste
2 tbsp water
1 tsp corn starch + 2 tsp water slurry, for thickening

Prep the Eggplant

Slice eggplant into 2-inch batons. Soak in salted water (1 tsp salt + 4 cups water) for 5–10 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.

In a bowl, mix corn starch, salt, and five spice powder. Toss eggplant pieces until well coated.

Sliced chinese eggplant in batons on a paper towel

Fry the Eggplant

Heat a generous amount of neutral oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant pieces in batches for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden and crisp on the outside but tender inside. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Make the Sauce

In a clean wok or skillet, heat 1 tbsp neutral oil. Add ginger, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorn. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add red bell pepper and bird’s eye chili (if using) and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in doubanjiang, soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, and water. Mix well. Pour in the corn starch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Ginger, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorn sizzling in a wok

Serve Two Ways

Option 1 (Classic Toss): Add the fried eggplant directly to the wok and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Serve immediately.

Option 2 (Extra Crisp): Plate the fried eggplant first, then spoon or drizzle the sauce over just before serving. This keeps the coating crisp while still giving each bite plenty of flavor. This is also a better option if you aren’t serving the eggplant immediately!

Enjoy!

Serve hot with steamed rice and extra chopped scallions or sesame seeds if desired.

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Chinese Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce

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I love eggplants and this Chinese eggplant with spicy garlic sauce is perfectly tasty and satisfying. It’s perfect with rice or noodles, of course!

Chinese or Japanese eggplants work beautifully here because they’re tender, slightly sweet, and cook quickly. Soaking the eggplant in salty water before frying draws out extra moisture, preventing excess oil absorption.

The sauce is a vibrant mix of doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), soy sauce, black vinegar, and sugar, with the numbing fragrance of Sichuan peppercorn. You can toss the eggplant in the sauce for maximum flavor—or keep the coating extra crisp by pouring the sauce over just before serving.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Sauces, Side Dish, Starters

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, East Asian, Sichuan

Servings servings

Calories 278 kcal

Ingredients

Eggplants

1 lb Chinese or Japanese eggplants
1 tsp salt
1 bowl water (around 4 cups water), to soak eggplants
1/4 cup corn starch or potato starch
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder
Neutral oil for frying

For Stir-Frying

1 tbsp neutral oil
1 tsp ginger minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn ground (I toasted mine and ground in a spice grinder)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 bird’s eye chili optional, for extra heat

Sauce

1/2 tbsp doubanjiang , fermented chili bean paste
2 tbsp soy sauce to taste
1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
2-3 tsp brown sugar to taste
2 tbsp water
1 tsp corn starch + 2 tsp water slurry, for thickening