Chinese Steamed Eggplant With Garlic (蒜泥茄子)
Chinese steamed eggplant with garlic is super healthy, simple, and easy to make, not to mention it is so tasty, soft to bite, and full of aromatic flavors. It is low carb, making it especially diabetes and keto friendly.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 to 3 Chinese eggplants
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup loosely pack cilantro (can be substituted with equal amount of parsley)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- 1
Heat a steamer or a large pot with a steamer rack over medium-high heat. Make sure the water does not exceed the steamer rack.
- 2
While waiting for the steamer’s water to boil, mince the garlic. Use the back of a chef’s knife or a cleaver to first crush or smash the garlic to loosen the skin. After skin is peeled, using two hands to gently rock the chef’s knife back and forth across the pile of garlic to mince it. Depending on personal preference, garlic can be further minced into a paste by crushing the minced garlic with the back of a chef’s knife and continuing to rock the knife back and forth across the minced garlic. Alternatively, you can use a garlic press to make garlic mince/paste.
- 3
Wash the Chinese eggplants and remove the end with the stem. Cut them into 2-inch long thin wedges. Arrange the wedges onto a plate (can be stacked).
- 4
Wash the cilantro and chop it into small pieces.
- 5
When the water in the steamer is boiling, carefully transfer the plate with the eggplant wedges onto the steamer rack. Close the lid and let steam for 8-10 minutes.
- 6
When the timer is up, turn off the heat and carefully transfer the eggplant wedges into a deep bowl. While the eggplant wedges are steaming hot, add the garlic, cilantro, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
- 7
Gently stir to combine. Transfer to a plate after evenly mixed.