THIS AUBERGINE. I don’t know what I can say to convince you just how incredible this sticky honey soy aubergine is, so you'll just have to believe me. It might not look like much, but the flavours are ridiculous. It’s beautifully sweet, with a warm heat from the chilli flakes, and a salty kick from the soy sauce. Ri.di.cu.lous.
Aubergine is always the first thing I look for on the menu at a Chinese restaurant - it goes so well with Chinese flavours, especially when it's cooked down in a sticky sauce like this. But for some unknown reason, I’d never tried to make any sort of Chinese-style aubergine at home before. This recipe takes just 15 minutes, so I have no idea why I didn't come up with it sooner.
Some people don't like how aubergine acts a bit like a sponge, but I say you should just take advantage of this property! Cook it right in the sauce until it’s soft and juicy and bursting at the seams with the sticky sauce.
This recipe could feed two as a side dish (I'm thinking it would go really well with tofu in black bean sauce - though I might just be saying that because it's my other go-to Chinese favourite). However, if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to eat the whole lot as a full meal. You could serve it with noodles or fried rice, but personally, I was happy to just wolf it down on its own with an extra dash of soy sauce on top.
It’s not a particularly saucy dish because the aubergine soaks up all the liquid, but it becomes so juicy and flavourful that you won’t miss the sauce. Make sure you top it with plenty of fresh coriander! It brings a great freshness to the dish. I also sprinkled some extra dried chilli flakes on top, but make sure you taste it first before you end up blowing your head off!
📖 Printable Recipe
Sticky honey soy aubergine
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 aubergine cut into medium-sized chunks
- 2 tablespoon honey or agave if you're vegan
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- Pinch dried chilli flakes
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Black pepper
- Fresh coriander to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan or wok, and add the aubergine chunks, honey, soy sauce and chilli flakes. Cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, for around 5 minutes.
- Then add the garlic, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until the aubergine is soft and sticky, and there is no more excess liquid.
- Season with black pepper, and serve topped with plenty of fresh coriander
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
yum.. definitely recreating this eggplant for my vegetarian household. looks delicious! thanks for the idea!
Kate @ Veggie Desserts says
Call me convinced! This sounds sooo good. I know what I'm having for dinner tomorrow. As ever your pictures are absolutely stunning.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks so much Kate! But my pictures are nothing compared to yours!! ;)
Robyn Heginbotham says
Made this for the first time today. Oh my goodness it is totally amazing .... The chef must be very clever to create something so stunning, yet quick and simple!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Haha! Well thanks Robyn! :)
Karen says
This was such a spectacular, tasty dish! It will become a staple 'quick-meal' recipe in our house. Thanks for posting it.
I doubled the sauce and added red peppers, zucchini and green onions. Also used way more garlic and red pepper flakes because we like it spicy! Delicious!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Karen, glad you enjoyed it! :) adding extra veg sounds like a great way to turn this from a side dish into a full meal!
Stuart Vettese says
I love aubergine and that sticky sauce looks very delicious!
Kavey says
I can't tell you how utterly gorgeous this looks. I'm also a huge fan of Chinese aubergine dishes and this kid glorious!
Medeja says
This aubergine dish sounds so flavorful! Nice thing for vegetarian dinner :)
Nazima, franglais kitchen says
love the flavours here. I have done a Vietnamese Aubergine dish with similar flavours that went down very well. Will have to try this out!
Regina says
Thanks for this recipe. I just picked my aubergine ( egg plant here in the US) and was wondering what I would do with them. Now I know!!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
Delicious. I am a huge aubergine fan and this looks a really good way to cook them.
Janel @ Creating Tasty Stories says
I would definitely eat it all by myself. What a lovely sauce, a combination of my favorite flavors. Thanks for sharing the recipe!