America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Stir-Fried Eggplant with Garlic and Basil Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish with rice

Stir-Fried Eggplant with Garlic and Basil Sauce

Ingredients

Thai Sauce Base

3 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lime1 tablespoon light brown sugar ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Eggplant

1 tablespoon peanut oil, plus 1 more teaspoon1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into ¾-inch cubes (6 to 7 cups)6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)¾ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into rough ½-inch pieces

Instructions

  1. For Thai Sauce Base: Mix fish sauce, lime juice and zest, sugar, and red pepper in small bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggplant and cook, stirring every 10 to 15 seconds, until browned and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Push eggplant to sides of skillet, clearing center of pan. Add remaining teaspoon oil, garlic, and ginger to center of pan and mash with back of spoon; cook until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds, then stir mixture into eggplant. Add Thai Sauce Base and stir until combined. Off heat, stir in scallions and basil; serve immediately.
Stir-Fried Eggplant with Garlic and Basil Sauce

Stir-Fried Eggplant with Garlic and Basil Sauce

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish with rice

Ingredients

Thai Sauce Base

3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lime
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Eggplant

1 tablespoon peanut oil, plus 1 more teaspoon
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into ¾-inch cubes (6 to 7 cups)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
¾ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into rough ½-inch pieces

Ingredients

Thai Sauce Base

3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lime
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Eggplant

1 tablespoon peanut oil, plus 1 more teaspoon
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into ¾-inch cubes (6 to 7 cups)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
¾ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into rough ½-inch pieces

Ingredients

Thai Sauce Base

3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice plus 1 teaspoon grated zest from 1 lime
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Eggplant

1 tablespoon peanut oil, plus 1 more teaspoon
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into ¾-inch cubes (6 to 7 cups)
6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
¾ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into rough ½-inch pieces

Why This Recipe Works

For our Thai-style stir-fried eggplant recipe, we wanted to find a way to give our dish powerful flavor while using ingredients already in the pantry. We found that a simple sauce base of fish sauce, lime juice and zest, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes gave our eggplant the complex flavor we were looking for.

Instructions

  1. For Thai Sauce Base: Mix fish sauce, lime juice and zest, sugar, and red pepper in small bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggplant and cook, stirring every 10 to 15 seconds, until browned and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Push eggplant to sides of skillet, clearing center of pan. Add remaining teaspoon oil, garlic, and ginger to center of pan and mash with back of spoon; cook until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds, then stir mixture into eggplant. Add Thai Sauce Base and stir until combined. Off heat, stir in scallions and basil; serve immediately.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.