Chinese eggplant stir-fried with tomatoes and peppers (qie la xi 茄辣西) is one of those comforting dishes often cooked at home by families in Lanzhou. The tender and slightly bitter eggplant pairs perfectly with the tanginess of the tomatoes and fresh and spicy flavors from the green peppers.
Stir-fried Chinese eggplant with tomatoes and peppers was one of the first dishes my mom cooked for Mark when he came to Lanzhou. While many people are familiar with eggplant in garlic sauce, or fish fragrant eggplant, eggplant with tomatoes and peppers is less common nationally and more common in the area of Lanzhou where I grew up. We often ordered this dish from small eateries close to our campus dorms for only a few yuan.
Unlike many of eggplant dishes that require loads of oil, this dish can be cooked with a minimal amount of oil since the eggplant is sliced into very thin pieces. It pairs perfectly with rice, our mapo tofu, and stir-fried water spinach.
Ingredients
Gather all ingredients before starting.
- 1 Chinese eggplant – Chinese eggplant can be found at any Asian market and at some western grocery stores. We frequently see them at Whole Foods and Safeway in the Bay Area, although we usually purchase them at Chinese grocery stores. Sometimes they are labeled as Japanese eggplant or as Asian eggplant. They are characterized by their long slender shape and low number of seeds.
- 1 large or 2 small to medium tomatoes – any variety will work.
- 2 long hot peppers – when we cannot find long hot peppers we go to the Korean market and get what are labeled as Korean peppers. Anaheim peppers are a good substitute as well.
- 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce – dark soy sauce is hard to find in western grocery stores but is easily found in Asian markets. If you do not have access to an Asian market you can buy it on Amazon, although you will pay a premium for having it shipped to your doorstep. You can leave it out of the dish, but it adds a deeper complex flavor that is a nice addition.
- 2 Tablespoons cooking oil – we use rapeseed or peanut oil.
- Salt is usually not needed since the soy sauce provides more than enough salty flavor.
Instructions
Step 1: Cut off the eggplant stem and then cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Cut each half of the eggplant into thin slices – about 1/16 to ⅛ of an inch (2 to 3 millimeters). The thin slices allow the eggplant to cook quickly without requiring a lot of oil.
Step 2: Cut the stem off the peppers and then cut down the middle to deseed. Cut the peppers into thin ⅛ inch (3 millimeter) slices. Dice the tomatoes.
Step 3: Heat a wok over medium high heat. Once the wok begins to smoke slightly, add cooking oil and carefully swirl around the sides to evenly coat. Heating the wok before adding the oil increases the nonstick properties.
Step 4: Add the eggplant and stir-fry continuously to keep it from sticking. The eggplant will absorb much of the cooking oil - this is normal. Stir-fry until the eggplant starts to become slightly transparent and then add the green peppers.
Step 5: Add the green peppers and stir-fry about 2 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes and stir-fry until they begin to cook down.
Step 6: Add the regular and dark soy sauces and stir-fry until the soy sauce is well incorporated into the eggplant. Taste the eggplant to see if it's seasoned to your liking. If you prefer a more intense salty and umami flavor add more regular soy sauce (a half tablespoon at a time) until the desired flavor is reached.
Step 7: Plate and enjoy!
Hint: If the eggplant is starting to stick you can add a small amount of water (1- 2 tablespoons) to the wok. This will deglaze the wok and steam the eggplant a bit. We prefer to stir-fry without water though because it gives a bit more wok hei flavor. Either way you will end up with an intoxicatingly flavorful dish that even eggplant haters will love.
Substitutions
Green peppers – Korean, Anaheim, or any pepper of your choice can be substituted for long hot peppers. We recommend you choose a pepper with mild to medium heat, but you can kick up the heat with bird’s eye chilis.
Eggplant – in a pinch you can substitute Globe / American eggplant, but they have more seeds and are slightly more bitter. If possible, go to an Asian or specialty market for Chinese or Japanese eggplant, but don’t let your eggplant variety stop you from cooking this tasty and nutritious dish. Many farmer’s markets also carry Asian eggplant varieties.
Equipment
- Wok or heavy high sided pan
- Wok spatula
- Chinese cleaver or chef knife
- Cutting board
Storage
Stir-fried eggplant will keep in an airtight container for up to three days, but for best quality don’t leave any leftovers.
Top tip
Cut eggplant slices into consistently sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
📖 Recipe
Chinese eggplant with tomatoes and peppers (qie la xi 茄辣西)
Ingredients
- 1 Chinese eggplant Chinese eggplant can be found at any Asian market and at some western grocery stores. We frequently see them at Whole Foods and Safeway in the Bay Area although we usually purchase them at Chinese grocery stores. Sometimes they are labeled as Japanese eggplant or as Asian eggplant. They are characterized by their long slender shape and low number of seeds.
- 1 large or 2 small to medium tomatoes any variety will work.
- 2 long hot peppers when we cannot find long hot peppers we go to the Korean market and get what are labeled as Korean peppers. Anaheim peppers are a good substitute as well.
- 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce dark soy sauce is hard to find in western grocery stores but is easily found in Asian markets. If you do not have access to an Asian market you can buy it on Amazon although you will pay a premium for having it shipped to your doorstep. You can leave it out of the dish, but it adds a deeper complex flavor that is a nice addition.
- 2 Tablespoons cooking oil we use rapeseed or peanut oil.
Instructions
- Step 1: Cut off the eggplant stem and then cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Cut each half of the eggplant into thin slices – about 1/16 to ⅛ of an inch (2 to 3 millimeters). The thin slices allow the eggplant to cook quickly without requiring a lot of oil.1 Chinese eggplant
- Step 2: Cut the stem off the peppers and then cut down the middle to deseed. Cut the peppers into thin ⅛ inch (3 millimeter) slices. Dice the tomatoes1 large or 2 small to medium tomatoes, 2 long hot peppers
- Step 3: Heat a wok over medium high heat. Once the wok begins to smoke slightly, add cooking oil and carefully swirl around the sides to evenly coat. Heating the wok before adding the oil increases the nonstick properties.
- Step 4: Add the eggplant and stir-fry continuously to keep it from sticking. The eggplant will absorb much of the cooking oil - this is normal. Stir-fry until the eggplant starts to become slightly transparent and then add the green peppers.2 long hot peppers
- Step 5: Add the green peppers and stir-fry about 2 minutes. Next, add the tomatoes and stir-fry until they begin to cook down.1 large or 2 small to medium tomatoes, 2 long hot peppers
- Step 6: Add the regular and dark soy sauces and stir-fry until the soy sauce is well incorporated into the eggplant. Taste the eggplant to see if it’s seasoned to your liking. If you prefer a more intense salty and umami flavor add more regular soy sauce (a half tablespoon at a time) until the desired flavor is reached.2 tablespoons regular soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- Step 7: Plate and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition disclaimer
malaeats.com is created for informational purposes only. Although we do our best to provide nutritional information to our readers as a general guideline, we are not certified nutritionists and the nutritional values provided should be considered estimates. Numerous factors such as variations in fresh ingredients, brands purchased, etc. will alter the nutritional values in any recipe. Different online calculators also provide different results depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, please use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities you used.
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods (less than 2 hours is recommended by the CDC).
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention website.
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