Fish-Fragrant Eggplant with Ground Turkey

Name: Fish-Fragrant Eggplant with Ground Turkey
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sichuan & Hunan
Ingredients: 2 large eggplants (about 2½ lb), in 3-inch batons; 1 lb ground turkey; 2 tbsp doubanjiang; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp minced ginger; 4 green onions, sliced; 6 dried red chilies; ¼ tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine; ½ cup chicken broth; 1½ cups jasmine rice; 3 tbsp rice vinegar; 2½ tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 4 tbsp oil; 1 tsp salt

DinnerSichuan & Hunan35 minServes 4700 kcal31 g protein

Photo: Popo le Chien · CC0 · source

Yu xiang qiezi, the Sichuan classic with no fish at all: silky seared eggplant and ground turkey in a sweet, sour and spicy garlic-ginger sauce built on chili bean paste. It soaks into rice beautifully.

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Ingredients

2 large eggplants (about 2½ lb), in 3-inch batons
1 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp doubanjiang
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
4 green onions, sliced
6 dried red chilies
¼ tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
½ cup chicken broth
1½ cups jasmine rice

From your pantry: 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 2½ tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 4 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt.

Instructions

Start the rice. Soak the eggplant in salted water for 10 minutes, keeping it submerged with a plate, then drain and pat very dry. Toss with 2 tsp of the cornstarch.
Whisk the vinegar, soy, Shaoxing wine, sugar, broth and remaining 1 tsp cornstarch for the sauce.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Sear the eggplant in a single layer, turning occasionally, until browned at the edges and soft all the way through, 7 to 9 minutes. Move to a plate.
Add the remaining oil and the turkey and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink and starting to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, white parts of the green onions and the chilies and stir for 30 seconds.
Stir in the doubanjiang and Sichuan pepper and fry for 1 minute until the oil turns red. Stir the sauce, pour it in and bubble until glossy, about 1 minute.
Fold the eggplant back in gently, scatter with green onion tops and serve over rice.

Tip: Long, slim Chinese eggplants are creamier and absorb less oil. Use 4 of them if your store has them, and Chinkiang black vinegar for the classic flavor.