Steamed Eggplant with Garlic Sauce (蒜蓉蒸茄子)

Instructions

1. 1Cut the eggplant into 6 cm batons about 2 cm thick. Do not peel — the skin holds the batons together and gives the finished dish its purple edge.

   🔍 Look for 3 min

   Visual: uniform batons with purple skin

   You know it's right when: prep complete

2. 2Soak the batons in salted cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. This keeps the flesh from oxidising grey.

   🔍 Look for 5 min

   Visual: flesh stays pale cream

   You know it's right when: drained and dried

3. 3Arrange the batons in a heatproof dish with gaps between them so steam can circulate. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes.

   🔍 Look for High heat 10 min

   Visual: flesh translucent and slumped

   You know it's right when: chopstick slides through with no resistance

4. 4While it steams, heat oil in a small pan over medium-low heat and add half the minced garlic. Fry gently for 1 minute until fragrant but still pale — do not let it brown.

   🔍 Look for Medium-low 1 min

   Visual: garlic pale and soft, oil shimmering

   You know it's right when: gentle bubbling, no browning

5. 5Add the remaining raw garlic off the heat, along with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Stir — the raw garlic gives sharpness, the cooked garlic gives depth.

   🔍 Look for 30 sec

   Visual: sauce glossy and aromatic

   You know it's right when: both raw and cooked garlic aroma

6. 6Pour any liquid from the steamed eggplant dish, spoon the garlic sauce over the top, scatter scallion and finish with chili oil if using. Serve warm with rice.

   🔍 Look for

   Visual: glossy sauce pooling around slumped batons

   You know it's right when: ready to serve