Spicy Chinese braised aubergine recipe

Last Updated on 3 September 2026 by cooksimply

Quick read

• How to prep aubergine so it turns silky and soaks up the spicy braising sauce
• A simple recipe ready in about 35 minutes, easy to scale for the table
• The key techniques behind its authentic flavour and soft texture
• Pro tips for dialling the heat up or down and swapping ingredients you don’t have

Aubergine is one of those vegetables that can go either way. Cook it well, and it turns silky, soft and full of flavour. Cook it badly, and it’s spongy and bland. This dish gets it right every time, and it’s been on our family table for as long as I can remember.

My parents ate this a lot growing up. Meat was a treat and expensive back then, so a good aubergine dish like this was an everyday meal, filling, cheap and satisfying over a bowl of rice. It’s still one of the simplest things I make, and one of the most comforting.

The flavours are pure Sichuan: garlic, ginger, soy, a hit of chilli and a savoury braise that the aubergine drinks up. It comes together quickly once everything’s prepped.

Chinese aubergine recipe: what you need to know

This dish is known in China as Yu Xiang Qie Zi, which loosely translates as “fish-fragrant aubergine,” though there’s no fish in it. The name refers to the seasoning style traditionally used for fish dishes in Sichuan cooking. It comes from Sichuan province in southwestern China, a region famous for bold, spicy, deeply savoury food.

The magic is in two things. First, prepping the aubergine so it cooks down silky rather than spongy. Second, a braising sauce built on soy, chilli, garlic and ginger that the soft aubergine soaks up completely.

It’s naturally vegetarian, quick to cook once prepped, and endlessly adaptable to the heat level you like.

How do you prep aubergine so it’s not spongy?

Salt it first. This is the step people skip, and it’s the one that matters most.

Cut the aubergine into large cubes, then salt it in a colander and leave it for 30 minutes. The salt draws out excess moisture, which is what stops the aubergine turning spongy and helps it cook down soft and tender. Once the time’s up, rinse the pieces under cold water and pat them dry with a kitchen towel before cooking.

It’s a small bit of extra time, but it’s the difference between good aubergine and disappointing aubergine.

Tips for the best Chinese braised aubergine

• Don’t skip the salting. It’s the key to silky texture and draws out excess moisture.
• Get the pan properly hot. Aubergine cooks best over decent heat, so let your wok or large frying pan come up to temperature before the oil goes in.
• Prep everything first. Once you start cooking it moves fast, so have your garlic, ginger, spring onions and sauce ready to go.
• Let it simmer. Give the aubergine its full 10–12 minutes in the sauce to go soft and drink up the flavour. Rushing this leaves it firm and underseasoned.
• Taste and adjust. The balance of salty, savoury and spicy is personal. Have a taste near the end and tweak the soy or chilli to suit you.

Ingredients

There aren’t many ingredients here, which is part of why I love it.

• 2 aubergines, cut into large cubes
• 2–3 teaspoons salt (for drawing out moisture)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1–2 tablespoons chilli oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

How to make spicy Chinese braised aubergine

1. Salt the aubergine. Chop the aubergine into large cubes and add them to a colander. Sprinkle the salt over them and leave for 30 minutes so the extra moisture is drawn out. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

2. Fry the aromatics. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, then add the garlic, ginger and spring onions. Stir fry for 20 seconds.

3. Add the aubergine. Add the aubergine and continue stir frying the ingredients together.

4. Braise. Add all the other ingredients. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the aubergines are soft and tender and the sauce has thickened.

5. Serve. Serve with extra chilli oil and spring onions over plain rice.

Tips, variations and substitutions

• Adjust the heat. Chilli bean paste (doubanjiang) brings deep, savoury heat if you want to swap it in. For something milder, use less chilli oil. For more fire, add both.
• No dark soy? Light soy works, though you’ll lose a little of the rich colour and depth. Add a touch more for the savoury note.
• Add protein. A handful of pork mince fried off at the start turns this into a heartier meal. Crumbled firm tofu keeps it vegetarian while adding substance.
• Extra veg. Trimmed green beans stirred in with the aubergine add crunch and colour.
• Black vinegar swap. Chinkiang black vinegar in place of rice wine vinegar gives a deeper, maltier tang if you have it.

Serving suggestions

This is happiest served simply, spooned over a bowl of steamed white or jasmine rice so the sauce soaks in. That’s how my parents ate it, and it’s still my favourite way.

For a fuller spread, serve it alongside other Chinese dishes to share. It sits well next to my air fryer char siu chicken or a plate of crispy air fryer chicken wings, with the soft aubergine balancing the richer meat dishes.

A scattering of toasted sesame seeds and fresh coriander over the top finishes it nicely.

Frequently asked questions

Why do you salt aubergine before cooking?
Salting draws out excess moisture, which stops the aubergine turning spongy and helps it cook down silky and tender. Leave it salted in a colander for 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.

Is Chinese braised aubergine spicy?
It has a gentle to moderate heat from chilli oil, but you control it. Use less for a mild dish or add more for proper Sichuan fire.

What does Yu Xiang mean?
Yu Xiang translates as “fish-fragrant,” but there’s no fish in the dish. It refers to the Sichuan seasoning style traditionally used for fish, built on garlic, ginger, chilli and a savoury-sweet-sour balance.

Can I make this without a wok?
Yes. A large frying pan works fine. You just need enough surface area to cook the aubergine without crowding the pan.

Is this recipe vegetarian?
Yes, it’s naturally vegetarian as written. You can add pork mince for a heartier version, or keep it plant-based with tofu.

What aubergine is best for this dish?
Chinese or Japanese aubergines are the most authentic and tend to be less bitter, but regular aubergine works well too. Since you’re salting it first, any bitterness is drawn out anyway.

Other vegetarian recipes you’ll love

• Easy aubergine parmigiana

• Spicy peanut noodles

• Spring onion noodles

• Best ever halloumi curry 

• Tasty couscous salad

• Tofu pad see ew

• Cauliflower mac and cheese

Chinese spicy braised aubergine

5 from 16 votes

If you're looking for a quick and easy vegetarian dish that is full of flavour, comforting and filling, this braised aubergine dish will be a real winner

Servings 3

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

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Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2 aubergines
• 2-3 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons dark soy
• 1-2 tablespoons chilli oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 3 spring onions finely chopped

Instructions

 

• Chop the aubergine into large cubes. Then add them to a colander and sprinkle the salt over them. Leave for 30 minutes so that extra moisture from the aubergine is drawn out.
  
• Rinse with cold water and pay dry with kitchen towel.
  
• Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, then add the garlic, ginger, and spring onions. Stir fry for 20 seconds then add the aubergine. Continue stir frying the ingredients.
  
• Then add all the other ingredients. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until the aubergines are soft and tender. And the sauce has thickened.
  
• Serve with extra chilli oil and spring onions with plain rice.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcal

Author: cooksimply

Calories: 128kcal

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

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