This is a simplified and shortcut version of my favorite Sichuan dish called Yu Xiang wherein eggplant pieces are coated in cornstarch, deep fried, and doused with a spicy garlic sauce. It’s better than takeout, for sure!
Yields 4 servings of Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork.
The Preparation
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced crosswise
- 1 ounce pork rinds, crushed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 teaspoons low-carb brown sugar replacement
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- 16 ounces ground pork
- 0.15 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 medium green onion, sliced, to garnish
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, to garnish
The Execution
1. Soak eggplant pieces in salted water. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash and drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a wok, heat olive oil until hot. Add crushed red pepper flakes. Stir then remove from heat and let sit to steep. Strain.
3. Using all but 2 tablespoons of reserved oil, pour over eggplant pieces to coat. Dredge slightly damp eggplant pieces in crushed pork rinds.
4. To make the sauce mixture, combine stock, tamari, shaoxing wine, sweetener, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.
5. Dry fry eggplant pieces. Remove and set aside.
6. Add reserved 2 tablespoons of reserved oil to wok. Saute garlic until aromatic.
7. Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink.
8. Return eggplant pieces and pour in sauce mixture.
9. Continue to cook until the eggplant is soft and the sauce is reduced. Stir in xanthan gum, as necessary, to thicken the sauce. Garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
This makes a total of 4 servings of Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork. Each serving comes out to be 518 calories, 41g fats, 6.8g net carbs, and 24.5g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 1 medium eggplant | 142 | 1 | 33.3 | 17 | 16.3 | 5.6 |
| 1 ounce pork rinds | 162 | 10.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.4 |
| 4 tablespoon olive oil | 477 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes | 17 | 0.9 | 3 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 |
| 1/4 cup beef broth | 10 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.6 |
| 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut aminos | 17 | 0 | 4.4 | 0 | 4.4 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine | 12 | 0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0.4 | 0 |
| 2 teaspoon low-carb brown sugar replacement | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 teaspoon salt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 teaspoon fresh garlic | 13 | 0 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 0.5 |
| 16 ounce ground pork | 1193 | 96.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73.4 |
| 0.15 teaspoon xanthan gum | 2 | 0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 medium green onion | 10 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.5 |
| 1 teaspoon sesame seeds | 15 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Totals | 2072 | 163.9 | 47.4 | 20.3 | 27.1 | 98.2 |
| Per Serving (/4) | 518 | 41 | 11.8 | 5.1 | 6.8 | 24.5 |
Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant sliced crosswise
- 1 ounce pork rinds crushed
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 1 ½ tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 teaspoon low-carb brown sugar replacement
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 16 ounce ground pork
- 0.15 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 medium green onion sliced, to garnish
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds to garnish
Instructions
- Soak eggplant pieces in salted water. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash and drain.
- Meanwhile, in a wok, heat olive oil until hot. Add crushed red pepper flakes. Stir then remove from heat and let sit to steep. Strain.
- Pour half of the reserved oil over eggplant pieces to coat. Dredge slightly damp eggplant pieces in crushed pork rinds. Dry fry eggplant pieces. Remove and set aside.
- To make the sauce mixture, combine stock, tamari, Shaoxing wine, sweetener, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.
- Add remaining oil to the wok. Saute garlic until aromatic.
- Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink.
- Return eggplant pieces and pour in sauce mixture.
- Continue to cook until the eggplant is soft and the sauce is reduced. Stir in xanthan gum, as necessary, to thicken the sauce. Garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
