Each cuisine has its own specialties. Growing up in Beijing, I’m confident and proud to say that Chinese cuisine has many great eggplant dishes. My recipe Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce, a simple vegetarian stir fried dish that features crispy eggplant with a rich sauce, has been the most popular recipe on my blog since it was published. This grilled eggplant recipe was inspired by the Szechuan style eggplant, also known literally as stir fried eggplant with “fish fragrant” sauce, or xu xiang qie zi (鱼香茄子). Although the original name of the sauce includes the word “fish”, fish has nothing to do with it. The term refers to a complex Szechuan flavoring that perfectly balances sour, savory, spicy, and sweet – a combination frequently used to season fish.
Cooking eggplant on the grill has a great benefit – you can easily create perfectly cooked eggplant with a crispy surface and buttery flesh. You don’t need to take any extra steps, such as pre-seasoning the eggplant with salt to draw out moisture, or coating it with cornstarch to make it extra crispy. Especially when you use a charcoal grill, the high heat will char the eggplant beautifully in a few minutes, without using tons of oil.
On the other hand, I always find grilled eggplant a bit dry if served without sauce. That’s the reason I recreated the sauce from the original Szechuan style stir-fried eggplant, to add another dimension. The ingredient list might look a bit long for a veggie dish. But I promise, it is so satisfying that you won’t have any problem serving it as a main dish with some steamed rice. You can prepare and cook the sauce while heating up the grill. Or, if you have the habit of throwing some vegetables on the grill after grilling the meat (like me), you can make the sauce later, to serve with leftover vegetables. It works very well with bell peppers, jalapenos, asparagus, and leeks.
Cooking notes
Try to select long Asian eggplants that are evenly shaped and smaller in size. They are easier to split and cook more evenly. Asian eggplants contain less moisture, so they often generate better results compared to other types of eggplant. If you’re using other large eggplants, slice them into 2 cm (¾ inch) thick pieces (crosswise) instead of halving them. Scoring the eggplant helps it cook through faster. It also allows the eggplant trap more oil, which will generate a buttery texture after cooking. Do remember to brush oil onto the eggplant generously. Skipping or skimping on the oil will result in dry eggplant.
Need more grilling recipes? Check out the Grilled Five Spice Chicken, Grilled Chicken Breast with Black Bean Sauce, and Cha Siu Kebab (Chinese BBQ).
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it #omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
