Crispy & Tender Chinese Eggplant (Ganpung Gaji) Recipe
Crispy & Tender Chinese Eggplant (Ganpung Gaji) Recipe
Let’s make Ganpung Gaji, a delicious Chinese-style eggplant dish, using fresh, seasonal eggplants. This recipe delivers a delightful ‘crispy outside, tender inside’ texture. The eggplant melts in your mouth, complemented by the savory ground pork for a satisfying meal. Experience the perfect harmony of flavors in this popular Chinese dish!
Main Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 50g ground pork
- A little bit of onion (about 30g)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 Korean green chilies (Cheongyang peppers)
- 1 red chili
For the Batter & Sauce
- Plenty of cooking oil (for frying)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp oligodang (or corn syrup/honey)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (for dusting eggplant)
- 2 pinches salt
- A little bit of black pepper
- 1/2 cup frying powder (tempura powder)
- 1/4 cup potato starch
- 1/2 cup cold carbonated water (or ice-cold water)
- 1 tsp minced garlic (for pork filling, optional)
- 1 tsp mirin (for pork marinade)
- 1 tsp dried parsley (for garnish, optional)
- Plenty of cooking oil (for frying)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp oligodang (or corn syrup/honey)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (for dusting eggplant)
- 2 pinches salt
- A little bit of black pepper
- 1/2 cup frying powder (tempura powder)
- 1/4 cup potato starch
- 1/2 cup cold carbonated water (or ice-cold water)
- 1 tsp minced garlic (for pork filling, optional)
- 1 tsp mirin (for pork marinade)
- 1 tsp dried parsley (for garnish, optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the vegetables. Wash the eggplants and remove the stems. Slice them into thick pieces, about 2cm wide. For easier filling, cut each slice halfway through, ensuring you don’t cut all the way to the other side. Thinly slice the garlic and finely mince the onion. Remove the seeds from the green and red chilies and slice them into 5mm wide strips for color and a hint of spice.
Step 2
Next, let’s marinate the ground pork. In a bowl, combine the ground pork with 2 pinches of salt, a little black pepper, and 1 tsp of mirin. Mix well to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed. This step helps to remove any gamey smell and tenderize the pork.
Step 3
Now, let’s mix the sauce ingredients. In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp vinegar, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 Tbsp oligodang, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Whisk them together until well combined. Having the sauce ready beforehand will make the final step much quicker and easier.
Step 4
Prepare the eggplant for frying. Place 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 pinches of salt, and a little pepper in a zip-top bag or a large bowl. Add the sliced eggplants and shake the bag (or toss in the bowl) to lightly coat each piece with the flour mixture. This dusting helps the batter adhere better.
Step 5
Gently open the slit in each floured eggplant slice and carefully spread about 5mm of the marinated ground pork inside. These will form ‘eggplant sandwiches’. Ensure the filling is evenly distributed.
Step 6
Let’s make the crispy batter. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup frying powder and 1/4 cup potato starch. Pour in 1/2 cup of ice-cold carbonated water (or very cold water/ice water). Gently stir with chopsticks or a whisk until just combined – avoid overmixing. The batter should be thick enough to coat the eggplant but not too heavy. Using cold ingredients is key for extra crispiness!
Step 7
Dip each prepared eggplant sandwich into the batter, ensuring it’s fully coated. Shake off any excess batter before frying.
Step 8
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a wok or deep pan to 170-180°C (340-350°F). To test the oil temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil; it should sink slightly and then float up immediately. Carefully add the battered eggplant sandwiches to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
Step 9
Although eggplant cooks quickly, it’s important to fry the ground pork thoroughly until golden brown. To ensure both the eggplant and pork are cooked perfectly and the coating is extra crispy, fry the eggplant sandwiches until golden brown, remove them, let the oil reheat slightly, and then fry them again for a second time. Remove the fried eggplant and drain well on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Step 10
In a clean pan, heat the prepared sauce (from step 2) over high heat until it just begins to bubble. Add the fried eggplant sandwiches and quickly toss them to coat evenly with the sauce. This should be done swiftly to maintain the eggplant’s crispiness.
Step 11
For an extra kick and appealing color, you can stir in 1 Tbsp of chili oil at the end, if desired. Transfer the finished Ganpung Gaji to a serving plate. Garnish with dried parsley if you like. Serve immediately while hot to best enjoy the crispy and tender texture!
