Eggplant in Garlic Sauce (Aubergine Recipe)

Garlicky, tangy, sweet — packed with flavour and totally satisfying.

Eggplant — or aubergine if you’re here in the UK — is one of my favourite vegetables to cook with. It soaks up flavour like a sponge and has that lovely soft texture that works beautifully with Chinese sauces.



This dish is a classic: garlicky, a little spicy, slightly tangy, and full of depth. It’s one of those vegetarian (or vegan) recipes that even meat-lovers can’t resist. Serve it with steamed rice, and you’ve got a meal that’s comforting, colourful, and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Main ingredients

• 2 large aubergines (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 large field mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 orange bell pepper (sliced)
• ½ medium white onion (sliced)
• 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 medium-heat chilli pepper (sliced)
• 1 thumb of fresh ginger (finely chopped)
• 3 spring onions (sliced, for garnish)
• Some cooking oil (for stir-frying)
• 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 5 tbsp water (to thicken)
  

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce (use mushroom oyster sauce for a fully vegetarian version)
• 1 tbsp yellow bean or ground bean sauce
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp black vinegar (or any mild vinegar if you don’t have it)
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (optional)
  

Method

Step 1: Prepare the aubergine

I start by cutting the aubergine into chunks — not too small, as they shrink when cooked. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out some moisture. This helps them fry better and stops them soaking up too much oil later.



Pat them dry with kitchen paper before cooking.

Step 2: Fry the vegetables

In a wok, I heat a good splash of oil over medium-high heat. I fry the aubergine first until it starts to soften and turn golden — about 3–4 minutes. Then I add the onion, pepper, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and chilli.



Keep everything moving so it doesn’t burn. The smell at this stage is incredible — garlicky, sweet, and savoury all at once.

Step 3: Make the sauce

In a small bowl, I mix all the sauce ingredients together — light and dark soy, oyster sauce, yellow bean sauce, sugar, vinegar, and rice wine. Stir until the sugar dissolves.



Then I pour the sauce into the wok, letting it bubble and coat everything evenly. If you’re going fully vegetarian or vegan, the mushroom-based oyster sauce works just as well and gives you that same deep umami flavour.

Step 4: Thicken and finish

Once the sauce starts to reduce, I stir in the cornflour slurry a bit at a time until it thickens into a rich, glossy glaze that clings to the aubergine.



Finally, I toss through the spring onions and give everything one last stir before serving.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy

I serve this dish hot, with simple steamed jasmine rice. The aubergine is soft and silky, the sauce is garlicky and rich, and the balance of sweet, sour, and savoury makes every bite irresistible.

Chef’s Tip

If you want extra depth, roast the aubergine in the oven for 15 minutes before stir-frying — it brings out a lovely smoky sweetness. And if you like it spicy, add a spoonful of chilli paste with the garlic.

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