Full of umami flavour from fermented chilli bean sauce, this is a classic dish from the Szechuan region that is perfectly saucy, spicy, and fragrant. Plus, it’s super easy to make (as if you needed another reason to try it)!
Szechuan Braised Aubergine
Szechuan Braised Aubergine
with mushrooms & sushi rice
Hands on Time: 20 - 35 minutes
Overall Time: 35 - 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- Aubergine
- Button Mushrooms
- Chilli Bean Sauce
- Cornflour
- Edamame Beans
- Fresh Chilli
- Fresh Chillies
- Fresh Coriander
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- Spring Onion
- Spring Onions
- Sushi Rice
- Szechuan Peppercorns
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Sugar/Sweetener/Honey
RICE TO MEET YOU
Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear. Place in a lidded pot over medium-high heat with 180ml of cold, salted water. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and fluff up with a fork.
GOLDEN AUBERGINE
Place a pan or wok over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the aubergine chunks and fry for 5-6 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan.
MUSHIE MANIA
Boil the kettle. Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the quartered mushrooms and fry for 5-6 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove from pan and set aside.
BEAN THERE
Submerge the edamame beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until plump and heated through. Drain and set aside. In a bowl, add 5ml of cold water and the cornflour. Mix until there are no lumps.
SZECHUAN THE HEAT
Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with 10ml of oil. When hot, add the peppercorns and cook for 2-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly brown. Remove the peppercorns from the pan and reserve the oil in the pan. Discard the peppercorns.
IT’S SOY TASTY
Return the pan or work, with the oil, to a medium heat. When hot, add the spring onion whites and fry for 1-2 minutes until soft, shifting constantly. Add the chilli bean sauce (to taste) and fry for 1 minute until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the fried aubergines and mushrooms, the soy sauce, and 80ml of water. Reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the cornflour slurry and mix until the sauce thickens. Season with a sweetener of choice, salt, and pepper.
TIME TO DIG IN!
Make a bed of the sushi rice. Top with the saucy aubergines, mushrooms, and the edamame beans. Garnish with the chopped coriander, the spring onion greens, and the sliced chilli (to taste). Cheers, Chef!
Sushi Rice - 75ml
Aubergine - 250g
Button Mushrooms - 125g
Edamame Beans - 50g
Cornflour - 5ml
Szechuan Peppercorns - 15ml
Spring Onion - 1
Chilli Bean Sauce - 5ml
Low Sodium Soy Sauce - 5ml
Fresh Coriander - 4g
Fresh Chilli - 1
RICE TO MEET YOU
Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear. Place in a lidded pot over medium-high heat with 370ml of cold, salted water. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and fluff up with a fork.
GOLDEN AUBERGINE
Place a pan or wok over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the aubergine chunks and fry for 5-6 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan.
MUSHIE MANIA
Boil the kettle. Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the quartered mushrooms and fry for 5-6 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove from pan and set aside.
BEAN THERE
Submerge the edamame beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until plump and heated through. Drain and set aside. In a bowl, add 10ml of cold water and the cornflour. Mix until there are no lumps.
SZECHUAN THE HEAT
Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with 20ml of oil. When hot, add the peppercorns and cook for 2-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly brown. Remove the peppercorns from the pan and reserve the oil in the pan. Discard the peppercorns.
IT’S SOY TASTY
Return the pan or work, with the oil, to a medium heat. When hot, add the spring onion whites and fry for 1-2 minutes until soft, shifting constantly. Add the chilli bean sauce (to taste) and fry for 1 minute until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the fried aubergines and mushrooms, the soy sauce, and 160ml of water. Reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the cornflour slurry and mix until the sauce thickens. Season with a sweetener of choice, salt, and pepper.
TIME TO DIG IN!
Make a bed of the sushi rice. Top with the saucy aubergines, mushrooms, and the edamame beans. Garnish with the chopped coriander, the spring onion greens, and the sliced chilli (to taste). Cheers, Chef!
Sushi Rice - 150ml
Aubergine - 500g
Button Mushrooms - 250g
Edamame Beans - 100g
Cornflour - 10ml
Szechuan Peppercorns - 22,5ml
Spring Onion - 1
Chilli Bean Sauce - 10ml
Low Sodium Soy Sauce - 10ml
Fresh Coriander - 8g
Fresh Chilli - 1
RICE TO MEET YOU
Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear. Place in a lidded pot over medium-high heat with 550ml of cold, salted water. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and fluff up with a fork.
GOLDEN AUBERGINE
Place a pan or wok over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the aubergine chunks and fry for 6-7 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan.
MUSHIE MANIA
Boil the kettle. Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the quartered mushrooms and fry for 6-7 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. You may need to do this step in batches. Remove from pan and set aside.
BEAN THERE
Submerge the edamame beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until plump and heated through. Drain and set aside. In a bowl, add 15ml of cold water and the cornflour. Mix until there are no lumps.
SZECHUAN THE HEAT
Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with 30ml of oil. When hot, add the peppercorns and cook for 2-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly brown. Remove the peppercorns from the pan and reserve the oil in the pan. Discard the peppercorns.
IT’S SOY TASTY
Return the pan or work, with the oil, to a medium heat. When hot, add the spring onion whites and fry for 1-2 minutes until soft, shifting constantly. Add the chilli bean sauce (to taste) and fry for 1 minute until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the fried aubergines and mushrooms, the soy sauce, and 240ml of water. Reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the cornflour slurry and mix until the sauce thickens. Season with a sweetener of choice, salt, and pepper.
TIME TO DIG IN!
Make a bed of the sushi rice. Top with the saucy aubergines, mushrooms, and the edamame beans. Garnish with the chopped coriander, the spring onion greens, and the sliced chilli (to taste). Cheers, Chef!
Sushi Rice - 225ml
Aubergine - 750g
Button Mushrooms - 375g
Edamame Beans - 150g
Cornflour - 15ml
Szechuan Peppercorns - 30ml
Spring Onions - 2
Chilli Bean Sauce - 15ml
Low Sodium Soy Sauce - 15ml
Fresh Coriander - 12g
Fresh Chillies - 2
RICE TO MEET YOU
Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear. Place in a lidded pot over medium-high heat with 750ml of cold, salted water. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and fluff up with a fork.
GOLDEN AUBERGINE
Place a pan or wok over medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the aubergine chunks and fry for 6-7 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown, shifting occasionally. Remove from the pan.
MUSHIE MANIA
Boil the kettle. Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the quartered mushrooms and fry for 6-7 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. You may need to do this step in batches. Remove from pan and set aside.
BEAN THERE
Submerge the edamame beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until plump and heated through. Drain and set aside. In a bowl, add 20ml of cold water and the cornflour. Mix until there are no lumps.
SZECHUAN THE HEAT
Return the pan or wok to a medium heat with 40ml of oil. When hot, add the peppercorns and cook for 2-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly brown. Remove the peppercorns from the pan and reserve the oil in the pan. Discard the peppercorns.
IT’S SOY TASTY
Return the pan or work, with the oil, to a medium heat. When hot, add the spring onion whites and fry for 1-2 minutes until soft, shifting constantly. Add the chilli bean sauce (to taste) and fry for 1 minute until fragrant, shifting constantly. Add the fried aubergines and mushrooms, the soy sauce, and 320ml of water. Reduce the heat slightly and leave to simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the cornflour slurry and mix until the sauce thickens. Season with a sweetener of choice, salt, and pepper.
TIME TO DIG IN!
Make a bed of the sushi rice. Top with the saucy aubergines, mushrooms, and the edamame beans. Garnish with the chopped coriander, the spring onion greens, and the sliced chilli (to taste). Cheers, Chef!
Sushi Rice - 300ml
Aubergine - 1kg
Button Mushrooms - 500g
Edamame Beans - 200g
Cornflour - 20ml
Szechuan Peppercorns - 40ml
Spring Onions - 2
Chilli Bean Sauce - 20ml
Low Sodium Soy Sauce - 20ml
Fresh Coriander - 15g
Fresh Chillies - 2
Woolies Products in this dish
