Eggplant with Dried Shrimp
A classic summer specialty from Zhejiang, this dish features fragrant shrimp roe paired with soft, silky eggplant segments. Cooked using meat-forward techniques for a vegetable base, it delivers a light, fresh, and palate-cleansing flavor.
Ingredients
Fresh eggplant (peeled, cut into 5cm-long segments, scored diagonally on both sides)
750g
Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms (cut into diamond slices)
30g
Dried shrimp roe
5g
Scallion segments
2g
Rich stock
150g
Wet cornstarch (diluted for thickening)
5g
Fine salt
1.5g
Soy sauce
7.5g
MSG
1.5g
Sesame oil (drizzled over the finished dish at the end)
10g
Rendered pork fat (heated to 40% hot to fry eggplant segments)
1000g (75g actually used)
Instructions
1
Prep
Peel the eggplant and cut into 5cm-long segments, scoring diagonally on both sides; cut the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms into diamond slices
2
Fry eggplant segments
Place a wok over medium heat, add the pork fat and heat to about 40% hot (around 88°C/190°F), add the eggplant segments, repeatedly spoon the hot oil over them, gently fry until the segments become soft and tender, then drain through a colander
3
Braise
Leave 15g of oil in the wok, add the scallion segments and stir-fry until fragrant, add the dried shrimp roe, pour in the rich stock, remove the scallion segments, add the shiitake mushrooms and eggplant segments, season with fine salt and soy sauce, and once the liquid reduces by half, add the MSG
4
Thicken
Dilute the wet cornstarch and stir in to create a thin glaze, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve
