How to Eat Eggplant Healthily? Three Recommended Home-Style Recipes.

Eggplant, I believe many people love to eat. Not only is it delicious, but it is also nutritious. But how many ways of cooking eggplant do you know? In fact, the ways to cook eggplant are truly countless. Here, I will introduce several common ways to cook eggplant, hoping to bring you a culinary delight.

How to eat eggplant the healthiest way

There are many ways to eat eggplant, but most methods involve high temperatures and long cooking times. This not only makes them greasy but also results in significant nutrient loss. Frying eggplant can lead to a loss of over 50% of its vitamins. Of all the ways to eat eggplant, mashed eggplant with dressing is the healthiest.

First, mashed eggplant with dressing has the shortest cooking time, requiring only a quick steam over high heat, thus minimizing nutrient loss. Second, it uses the least amount of oil. After steaming the eggplant and mashing it, you only need to drizzle a little sauce over it. Finally, this method allows for the most complete absorption of nutrients because you don't need to peel the eggplant skin, which contains a large amount of bioactive substances.

The best dressing for mashed eggplant is made with olive oil, sesame paste, minced garlic, and a little salt. Olive oil is undoubtedly a healthy oil. Sesame paste is rich in calcium, protein, and vitamins, and minced garlic has antibacterial and anti-cancer properties.

What are some ways to cook eggplant?

Braised Eggplant

1. Braised Eggplant

Finely chop the garlic and cut the eggplant into strips. Separate the egg white from an egg and beat it. Pour the egg white over the eggplant strips, then add starch, stirring continuously until the strips are evenly coated.

In a small bowl, mix vinegar, salt, sugar, and dark soy sauce to make a sauce. The ratio can be adjusted according to your personal preference, similar to that for Fish-flavored Pork Shreds.

Prepare a starch-water mixture. Heat oil in a wok. Add the coated eggplant strips and fry until the skin turns yellow, then set aside. Leave a little oil in the wok, sauté the scallions and garlic. Return the fried eggplant to the wok, stir-fry, then add the sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens, and thicken with a starch slurry before serving.

2. Fish-flavored Eggplant

Fish-flavored Eggplant

Wash the eggplant and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Heat a wok without oil, add the eggplant, and stir-fry over medium heat until it wilts and softens. Remove and set aside. Mix salt, sugar, cooking wine, light soy sauce, vinegar, starch-water, and white pepper to make a sauce. Heat oil in the wok, add ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add chopped chili and stir-fry until fragrant, then add the prepared sauce and bring to a boil. Return the eggplant to the wok, stir to coat evenly, add chopped scallions and a pinch of chicken powder, and serve.

3. Red-braised Eggplant

Red-braised Eggplant

Wash the eggplant, cut it into irregular chunks, and sprinkle with salt to marinate for 10-20 minutes. Wash and chop the green peppers and tomatoes. Mince some of the garlic and slice the rest. Squeeze the marinated eggplant firmly to remove excess water, which helps it absorb less oil. Heat a flat-bottomed pan, add a moderate amount of oil, and sauté the sliced garlic until fragrant. Add the squeezed eggplant and stir-fry over medium heat until it changes color and softens. Add the green peppers and tomatoes, season with a spoonful of sugar and an appropriate amount of salt, and stir-fry over high heat. You can add a little hot water midway to help the tomatoes soften and release their juices. Before serving, sprinkle with the minced garlic.