A savory and spicy Chinese eggplant stir fry with minced pork (魚香茄子) is great to serve with rice. This is a simple and healthier version of Chinese eggplant & ground pork recipe that can be done in 20 minutes!
Love Chinese food? Check out these authentic scrambled egg and shrimp, sweet and sour pork, cream corn chicken and beef and broccoli recipes.
What is Chinese eggplant & pork mince (魚香茄子)?
Chinese eggplant & pork stir fry is a classic and famous Chinese cuisine. It’s originated from northern part of China, Sichuan province. Also, in Chinese it calls yu xiang qie zi (魚香茄子) literally translated to fish fragrance eggplant.
However, traditionally Chinese eggplant stir fry with pork doesn’t have any fishes. Later on in Guangdong China, people like to add dried salty fish which gives more flavor to eggplants.
What are the ingredients in yu xiang qie zi (魚香茄子)?
The main ingredients are eggplants (qie zi), pork, garlic and chili peppers. And, this Chinese eggplant and pork recipe I used 3 pieces of chili peppers. You can always adjust the amount of chili peppers to your spiciness.
What is the different between Chinese eggplant and regular eggplant?
Chinese eggplant the skin is thinner, less seeds and less bitter compare to regular grocery eggplant. In order to make a delicious and spicy pork and eggplant Chinese dish, I do not use regular eggplant because of thicker skin and bitter taste.
How do you cook eggplants?
Most of people deep fry eggplants in oil for a little bit when they make this yu xiang qie zi (魚香茄子) dish. Since eggplants are very absorbable, it absorbs a lot of oil when you deep fried them. Some people don’t like to be oily and unhealthy.
Therefore, you may see other recipes to teach you soak the eggplants in water before cooking. In this way, it will be healthier. However, the eggplants absorb a lot of water when you cook them with sauce. The sauce will not absorb into eggplants which doesn’t taste as good.
I found out the best way to cook eggplant is to add some oil to a non-stick pan. After that, pan fried them first on the skin side. Then, mix them with the sauce, so the eggplants can absorb the sauce and healthier than deep dried them. Also, it can maintain a nice purple color.
Cooking tips for how to make ground pork and eggplant stir fry:
- Add chili peppers to your spiciness (1-3 or more)
- Use can mince lean pork or use ground pork. I prefer ground pork because it is easier.
- Use Chinese eggplants instead of regular eggplants with thicker skin because they are bitter and not taste good.
- Wash and cut eggplants into wider strips and add some vegetables oil to pan fried them start with the skin part first and cover with a lid. Then, cook for a minute and flip them and cook another minute.
- Cook ground pork and make the sauce, then add the cooked eggplants, so the eggplants are not over cooked and still maintains it’s nice purple color.
FAQs:
How to pick a good eggplant?
Don’t pick them if they are wrinkle, have little brown spots on the skin or soft spots (not firm) when you squeeze them slightly.
How long can you store eggplants?
It doesn’t last long. The best is to wrap with newspapers and refrigerate them, so it can last for 5-7 days.
Instructions for how to make eggplant pork stir fry:
1. Minced 4 cloves of garlic and cut 3 chili peppers.
2. Wash and cut 1 stick of green onion and 2 small eggplants into wider strips.
3. Turn on medium to small fire, then pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to pan fry eggplants on a non-stick pan. Start with the skin side and cover the lid for a minute and flip the other side for another minute. Then, set them aside.
4. After that, put ¼ pound of ground pork into non-stick pan and add ½ tablespoon of sesame oil, chopped garlic and chili peppers. Keep stir frying them until it changes color. 
5. Next, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of sugar and ½ cup of water. Stir them a little bit and add corn starch mixture (3 teaspoons of water and 2 teaspoons of corn starch). Last, add the pan fried eggplants and green onion, then mix them with the sauce. 
Enjoy this delicious spicy and savory Chinese eggplant and pork recipe! Also, check out these authentic soy sauce chicken, ma yi shang shu, chicken chop with black pepper sauce and kung pao chicken recipes.
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Chinese eggplant and pork
Video
Ingredients
- 2 Chinese eggplants small
- ¼ pound Ground pork
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 3 pieces Fresh chili peppers (use 1-3 or more depends how spicy you want)
- 1 stick Green onion
- ½ cup Water
- ½ tablespoon Sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon Sugar
Corn starch mixture:
- 2 teaspoons Corn starch
- 3 teaspoons Water
Instructions
- Minced 4 cloves of garlic and cut 3 chili peppers.
- Wash and cut 1 stick of green onion and 2 small eggplants into wider strips.
- Turn on medium to small fire, then pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to pan fry eggplants on a non-stick pan. Start with the skin side and cover the lid for a minute and flip the other side for another minute. Then, set them aside.
- After that, put ¼ pound of ground pork into non-stick pan and add ½ tablespoon of sesame oil, chopped garlic and chili peppers. Keep stir frying them until it changes color.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of sugar and ½ cup of water. Stir them a little bit and add corn starch mixture (3 teaspoons of water and 2 teaspoons of corn starch). Last, add the pan fried eggplants and green onion, then mix them with the sauce.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make ground pork and eggplant stir fry:
- Add chili peppers to your spiciness (1-3 or more)
- Use can mince lean pork or use ground pork. I prefer ground pork because it is easier.
- Use Chinese eggplants instead of regular eggplants with thicker skin because they are bitter and not taste good.
- Wash and cut eggplants into wider strips and add some vegetables oil to pan fried them start with the skin part first and cover with a lid. Then, cook for a minute and flip them and cook another minute.
- Cook ground pork and make the sauce, then add the cooked eggplants, so the eggplants are not over cooked and still maintains it’s nice purple color.
K
I made some subs since I used what I had at hand. I used red pepper flakes because I didn’t have the chili peppers, used American eggplant because that’s what I had and I subbed garlic chives for green onions. I air-fried the eggplant first to save on oil. This was delicious and my husband I finished the hole portion. Would definitely make again ms again but I would add some air fried tofu next time for some healthy bulk.
Tracy O.
Thank you for your comment!
Doreen
Great recipe. I added Ginger and it still worked
K
Thank you so much Tracy for sharing your recipe! I made this dish and it has become a regular part of my weekly dinner rotation. Simple to make but so full of flavour. Agreed with above comments - this more serves 2 but maybe that's just because I like to eat less rice so end up loading up on the dish more!
Tracy O.
Thank you for your comment!
Jackie
Probably the best Chinese dish I ever made! Recipe is more for two people than four. Do prep first and line everything up before starting to cook. Thanks very much for this great recipe!
Tracy O.
Thank you for your comment.
afra
Fabulous recipe!! It comes together so quickly and tastes fabulous! I served it with bok choy with oyster sauce and cauliflower rice. Will CERTAINLY be making this again. I did find that it was more of a 2 than 4 people serving size...
Veronika
Yummy. Thank you for the recipe!
I steamed the eggplants.
Christine Nguyen
Easy and flavorful!
Maria V. Salvadó
Great recipes. Learning a lot.. Thanks
Tracy O.
Thank you!
C. John Thompson
Lovely recipe and a terrific blog.
Tracy O.
Thank you!