Sichuan Eggplant Linguine Food

YU XIANG QIE ZI (SICHUAN EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• Roll cut washed eggplants into long strips (try to keep some skin on each one). Then soak the eggplant strips in salty water for around 15 minutes. Move out and drain. Coat with starch (optional but I recommend using since this helps the sauce attaching on the eggplants)
• Prepare a bowl; mix all the ingredients for stir fry sauce. Then set aside.
• Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in wok or a pan and fry the eggplants until slightly browned by batches.
• Heat another 1 tablespoon of oil in wok, and fry mince pork until crisp and browned. Add doubanjiang and chopped pepper to continue cooking for 1 minute for red oil. Add garlic, chopped peppers, green onion white part and ginger to stir-fry for the aroma.
• Stir in the sauce. Cook for a while until the sauce is thickened. Mix well and make sure the eggplants are well coated.
• Move from wok, sprinkle chopped green onion! I highly recommend serving this with steamed rice. The magic sauce can turn plain steamed rice into something extremely delicious.

SICHUAN EGGPLANT STIR FRY (鱼香茄子)

Steps:

• Chop eggplant into long sticks of about 2-inch (5-cm) long and 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick.
• Place eggplant in a large bowl and add water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon salt, mix well. Place a pot lid on top to keep the eggplant under water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
• Add all the sauce ingredients into a bowl. Stir to mix well.
• Sprinkle eggplant with cornstarch and mix by hand, until eggplant is evenly coated with with a thin layer of cornstarch.
• Add oil to a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium high heat until hot. Spread eggplant across the bottom of the skillet without overlapping (you might need to cook in 2 or 3 batches). Fry the eggplant one side at a time until all the surfaces are charred and the eggplant turns soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook the remaining batch(es) with the same method. If the skillet gets too hot and starts to smoke, turn to medium heat.
• Once the eggplant is all cooked, remove the pan from the stove. Drain extra oil and only leave 1 tablespoon in the pan by pouring the oil into a heatproof bowl, or wipe the pan with a few layers of paper towels attached to the front end of a pair of tongs.
• Add the Sichuan peppercorns into the pan. Cook over medium heat until the peppercorns turn dark brown. Remove them with a spatula and transfer to a small bowl (*Footnote 3). Add the pork. Cook and chop with your spatula, until separated into small bits and cooked through. Add green onion, garlic, ginger, and dried chili peppers. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
• Stir the sauce again to completely dissolve the cornstarch, then pour into the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens. Return the eggplant to the pan and quickly stir to mix everything well.
• Turn to the lowest heat and taste the sauce (be careful, it will be very hot!) Adjust flavor by sprinkling a bit more salt or sugar, if needed. Turn to medium heat and mix well again. Transfer everything to a plate immediately.
• Serve hot over steamed rice as a main.

SICHUAN EGGPLANT LINGUINE

Steps:

• Cook linguine as directed on package.
• While linguine is cooking, heat oil in 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté eggplant in oil. Stir in spaghetti and Sichuan (Szechuan) sauces; reduce heat to medium. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.
• Drain linguine and toss with eggplant sauce. Sprinkle with gingerroot.

SZECHWAN EGGPLANT STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants in 1/2 lengthwise and then slice crosswise into wedges, no more than 1-inch wide.
• Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high flame and add the oils; tilt the pan to coat all sides. When you see a slight smoke, add a layer of eggplant, stir-fry until seared and sticky, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the eggplant to a side platter and cook the remaining eggplant in same manner, adding more oil, if needed.
• After all the eggplant is out of the pan, add the green onions, ginger, garlic, and chile; stir-fry for a minute until fragrant. Add the broth. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the wok and cook another minute, until the sauce has thickened. Put the eggplant back in the pan, tossing quickly, until the sauce is absorbed. Garnish with sesame seeds, Thai basil, and cilantro and serve.

JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH SICHUAN PEPPER

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant into 1 to 2-inch segments, depending on the width of the eggplant. Set up a steamer on the stovetop. Season the segments with salt. Place the eggplant in the steamer in a single layer and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Cool on paper towels.
• For the vinaigrette, trim the garlic cloves and mash gently with the side of your knife, then finely chop the garlic. Peel and chop the ginger root.
• Trim and slice the scallion on a bias. Save the white part for the vinaigrette and the green part for a finishing garnish. Keep the greens fresh by covering them with a moist, cool paper towel. Chop the cilantro.
• To assemble the vinaigrette, put the three oils and the Sichuan peppercorns in a small pot set over low heat. Heat until sizzling, then strain out the peppercorns. Discard the peppercorns and put the oil back into the pot. Add the garlic and ginger and heat until sizzling but not browned. Add the scallion whites and Sichuan bean paste and stir. Add the black vinegar, soy, mirin, wine, sugar, sesame seeds and cilantro and bring to a boil.
• Transfer the vinaigrette to a bowl and cool. Put the eggplant in a serving dish and season with the cooled sauce (depending on eggplant size, you may not need all the sauce-the sauce keeps for a week refrigerated) and sprinkle with the scallion greens. Finish with freshly ground black pepper, if you'd like a little more peppercorn flavor.

SZECHUAN EGGPLANT AND VEGGIE STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Sprinkle the eggplant slices with a couple tablespoons of salt and let rest 15 minutes. Rinse pieces in lukewarm water.
• Add black pepper and cornstarch to eggplant and toss together to coat the eggplant.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet, and add the eggplant until they get soft and brownish (approx 10 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside. (You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet.).
• Steam broccoli, red pepper, onions, and cauliflower until slightly al dente.
• While the veggies are steaming, heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet and add shallots and green chilies. Cook for a couple minutes, then add Szechuan sauce.
• Add the eggplant and the veggies, and cook through, 5-10 minutes. Garnish with chopped peanuts.

SZECHUAN STYLE EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Cook eggplant in 2-3 tbsp oil in a large deep skillet until tender (add a little more oil or water if necessary- it will cook down with the amount of oil stated but with a nicely hot wok, there may be a little smoke involved, but don't worry, turn on the hood exhaust because it just adds to the flavor).
• While eggplant is cooking, mix soy sauce, sugar, and broth together in a small bowl till sugar dissolves.
• Remove eggplant from skillet when cooked and keep warm.
• Heat garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger in 1 tbsp oil until aromatic.
• Stir in the water chestnuts and half of the scallions along with the eggplant and the soy sauce mixture.
• Stir and cook until the soy sauce is absorbed into the eggplant (this may take several minutes).
• Add the vinegar, sesame oil, and remaining scallions, stirring to mix.
• Serve hot, garnished with sesame seeds.

SZECHUAN SPICY EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Remove the eggplant stem and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, chicken stock, chili sauce, sugar, ground black pepper and oyster sauce. Stir together well and set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, and set aside.
• Coat a large, deep pan with cooking spray over high heat and allow a few minutes for it to get very hot. Saute the garlic, half of the green onions, ginger and dried shrimp, if using (see Cook's Note) for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they begin to brown. Stir in the ground beef or pork and cook for 3 more minutes, again stirring constantly, until browned.
• Pour the eggplant into the pan and stir all together. Pour the reserved soy sauce mixture over all, cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you're using fresh shrimp, add it during the last few minutes of cooking. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and let heat until thickened. Finally, stir in the rest of the green onions and the sesame oil.
• Serve over hot rice.

LINGUINE WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until beginning to smoke, then add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 10minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Add onion, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes (including juice), oregano, salt, and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thickened and most of liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes.
• While tomato sauce is simmering, cook linguine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander and return to pot. Add tomato sauce and toss to coat, then add eggplant, parsley, and some reserved cooking water if necessary (to thin sauce) and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with some of cheese and serve remainder on the side.

LINGUINE WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• In a large pot, cook linguine according to package directions and drain.
• Put linguine in a large bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil; set aside.
• In the same pot, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Saute the eggplant for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Add garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Saute for about 5 more minutes.
• Add tomatoes, parsley, and linguine and toss gently until heated through.
• Serve immediately.

SZECHUAN-STYLE EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Toss eggplant in colander with salt; let stand 30 minutes.
• Rinse off salt and pat eggplant dry with paper towels; set aside.
• Place green onion in work bowl of food processor with steel knife.
• With machine running, drop ginger and garlic through feed tube and mince finely.
• Combine peanut oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and dried red pepper flakes in wok or heavy 12 inch skillet over high heat and cook until pepper flakes turn black.
• Add green onion mixture and stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add eggplant and toss to coat with oil.
• Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until eggplant softens, shaking wok occasionally to prevent sticking, 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend Sherry, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and chili paste in work bowl 3 seconds.
• Add Sherry mixture to wok and stir 2 minutes.
• Dissolve cornstarch in 1 teaspoon sesame oil and add to wok.
• Stir until sauce is glossy, about 15 more seconds.
• Serve immediately.