Sichuan Eggplant

Name: Sichuan Eggplant
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds sliced Egg Plants; 2 tablespoons Peanut Oil; 1/4 cup Chicken Stock; 2 tsp Sugar; 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce; 1 ½ tbsp Chilli Bean Paste; 2 tsp Sichuan Pepper; 2 tsp Ginger; 5 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Cornstarch; 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar; 4 Chopped Scallions; Garnish Cilantro

By The Spice & Simmer Kitchen · Published May 3, 2026

A one-pot Vegetarian recipe with Chinese flavors, built for busy weeknights when you want real food without a sink full of dishes. Comes together in roughly 80 minutes, serves about 4, and uses ingredients you can find at any normal grocery store. The technique is simple: build a base in your pot, layer in the main ingredients, simmer until everything has had time to talk to each other, and serve straight from the pan. If you're cooking for picky eaters, this one tends to land — the flavors are recognizable, the texture is comforting, and there's nothing weird hiding in the ingredient list. Perfect for the kind of evening where you want dinner on the table by 7pm and the kitchen empty by 7:30.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings · 37 min total

1.5 pounds sliced Egg Plants
2 tablespoons Peanut Oil
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
1 ½ tbsp Chilli Bean Paste
2 tsp Sichuan Pepper
2 tsp Ginger
5 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Cornstarch
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
4 Chopped Scallions
Garnish Cilantro

Step-by-step instructions

This recipe calls for asian eggplants, or Japanese eggplants. They are long and thin compared to a European or globe eggplant, and much more tender and delicate. If you can't find them you can substitute globe eggplant, but the dish is really best with the asian eggplant.
*A lot of grocery stores have Asian ingredient aisles now. You should be able to find chili-bean paste, a mixture of preserved chilies mixed with mashed soybeans, there or at any Asian market. (Do not confuse with black bean paste or chili-garlic paste.).
**Sichuan peppercorns are available at some stores and online for quite cheap. They aren't spicy like other peppers but rather have a citrusy flavor and induce a tingly, numbing sensation like a carbonated drink.
Prep eggplant, chili sauce, cornstarch slurry, vinegar and scallions: Begin your mise en place. Quarter the eggplant lengthwise and chop into large batons and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the chicken stock, sugar, and soy sauce and set it aside.
In a second bowl, mix together the chili bean paste, garlic, ginger, and sichuan peppercorns and set it aside.
In a third bowl, mix together the cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and set it aside.
Lastly, in a fourth bowl, mix together the scallions and vinegar and set it aside.
Sauté eggplant: Place the oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking. Add the eggplant and sauté, allowing it to sit for a few seconds each time you move it to allow it to brown and blister. If the eggplant absorbs all the oil and some pieces don't get any then add a little more oil.
Add the chili bean paste, garlic, ginger, and sichuan peppercorns and sauté: until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the chicken stock mixture: turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 90 seconds.
Add the cornstarch mixture: and stir together until the sauce thickens a bit.
Add the scallions and vinegar: and cook for 15 seconds to diffuse their harsh flavors a bit.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Why this works on a weeknight

Sichuan Eggplant lands at about 37 minutes total — a little longer than our 30-minute target, but most of that time is hands-off simmering, which is why it earned a spot in our Stir-Fry collection. The technique is forgiving, the ingredient list is grocery-store standard, and the active cooking time is short enough that you can answer a text message in the middle without ruining dinner.

Cleanup notes

This is a single-pan recipe, so the cleanup is exactly one pan, one cutting board, and one knife. While the dish rests, fill the pan with hot soapy water — by the time you are done eating, the residue lifts off with a single pass of a sponge. Skip the steel wool on cast iron; a stiff brush and warm water are all you need to keep the seasoning intact.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a dry pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. Sichuan Eggplant actually improves overnight as the flavors keep talking to each other, so doubling the recipe and packing tomorrow's lunch is a high-leverage weeknight move.

Filed under 🥢 Stir-Fry Vegetarian Chinese