Eggplant with basil is a perfect combination, as the subtle taste of the eggplant is complemented by the basil’s herbaceous aroma and peppery sweetness. Today, I want to share my recipe for stir-fried eggplants with basil leaves, with added chicken meat, to make it a one-pot complete meal.

You can imagine the fantastic flavor of eggplant combined with various seasoning agents. But that’s not all – I add basil leaves during the final cooking stage to enhance the flavor further. These leaves bring a whole new dimension to the dish!

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1. The choice of eggplant

You can use different types of eggplants, but I recommend using Chinese or Japanese eggplant for this dish. These eggplants are usually slimmer and longer. The main reason for using Asian eggplant is that they are less bitter than others. 

2. The challenge of cooking eggplant

Cooking eggplants can pose several challenges. The first is the bitterness, which can be reduced by choosing Asian eggplants. The second challenge is preserving the purplish color, which often fades during cooking due to oxidation. To address this, Chinese restaurants often deep fry the eggplant for a few seconds before stir-frying it. The quick deep-frying coats the eggplants with oil, reducing the impact of oxidation. However, due to their spongy texture, eggplants absorb a lot of oil when deep-fried, which can make the dish too oily. 

Therefore, I have taken the following steps to keep the eggplant’s purplish color intact and prevent oil absorption while frying. 

• Soak the eggplant in a mixture of water and vinegar to lower its pH level, which helps to preserve its color. 
• Coat the eggplant pieces with egg whites before frying, as this helps to reduce the amount of oil absorbed. 

I will provide more detailed information on these steps in the following section, covering the step-by-step cooking instructions.

3. The seasoning for the eggplant with basil stir-fry

The seasoning in this recipe combines Cantonese and Sichuan styles to give it a distinct flavor. Therefore, you will expect the flavor of this dish to be different from the traditional Thai eggplant stir fry with basil. 

Please note that the selection of seasonings is my preference. You may include other ingredients, such as oyster sauce, Hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, and fish sauce. Also, consider adding some Thai chili paste to make it spicy.

The sauce ingredients I use are light soy sauce, sugar (to balance the initial addition of vinegar), salt, sesame oil, yellow bean paste (yellow bean sauce/ taucu/ 豆醬), and chili bean paste (Doubanjiang/ 豆瓣酱). Premix all these items in a small bowl. 

4, Add chicken to make it a complete one-pot meal

This recipe is perfect for vegetarians. However, I have added some meat to make it a complete meal with all the essential nutrients. For today’s recipe, I chose chicken – a universally accepted meat.

The chicken is stir-fried separately from the eggplant. This step is crucial as chicken and eggplant require different cooking times. An alternative to chicken slices is substituting with minced chicken or ground pork. I tried that before, and it is equally delicious.

5. Other ingredients you need

The basil I use is Thai basil. You can substitute Thai basil with Italian basil or other species if you can’t get Thai basil.

I also add two tablespoons of minced garlic when stir-frying to add even more flavor. Garlic complements the flavor of eggplant perfectly.

To serve, garnish the eggplant with fresh basil leaves. You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds as topping for extra flavor.

You may also consider adding red bell pepper slices to improve the overall color.

6. How to cook eggplant and basil with chicken

Here are the detailed steps to cook this dish.

a. Prepare the eggplant for cooking

1. Start by washing the eggplants, removing both ends and cutting them into 2-inch pieces or thin eggplant slices.
2. Place the Chinese eggplant pieces in a bowl and cover them with water. 
3. Add salt and rice vinegar to the water, as vinegar helps preserve the eggplant’s color by reducing its pH level. 
4. Leave the eggplant in the water for 15 minutes, then remove it and drain it on a colander to eliminate any excess water. 
5. Spread the eggplant pieces in a single layer on a dry cloth or paper towel to dry them off as much as possible. 
6. Finally, coat each eggplant piece with egg white, creating a protective layer that prevents the eggplant from absorbing too much oil during cooking. 

Following all these steps will result in less oily eggplants that retain their purplish color.

b. Fry the chicken

1. Cut the chicken into one-inch pieces.
2. Marinate it with salt, white pepper powder, cornstarch, and oil. Leave the chicken to marinate for half an hour. 
3. After that, fry the chopped garlic with oil until it turns aromatic.
4. Add the marinated chicken to the garlic and stir-fry over medium heat until both sides turn golden brown. 
5. Remove the chicken from the wok (or use a large skillet) and drain the excess oil.

c. Fry the eggplant

1. Deep-fry the eggplants in hot oil for half to one minute over medium-high heat, then remove and drain the excess oil.
2. Stir-fry the eggplants with a few tablespoons of oil until golden brown. Deep-frying the eggplants only briefly, followed by stir-frying with less oil, will make the eggplants less oily.

d. To finish the cooking process

1. Add seasoning D to the eggplant. 
2. Return the chicken to the wok and mix it with the eggplant. 
3. Finally, add a cup of basil leaves to the eggplant and stir-fry it briefly until it wits. 
4. Once done, dish out the eggplants and garnish them with chopped chili and fresh basil leaves before serving.

This stir-fried eggplant recipe is quick and easy to prepare and provides all the necessary nutrition – protein, fiber, and vegetables. Serve it with white rice for a complete meal.

7. More recipes related to eggplants and basil for you

If you enjoyed this eggplant dish, I have a few similar recipes to suggest:

• Pad Kra Pao is a popular Thai minced meat dish cooked with basil and chili. This recipe is not only tasty, but it is extremely easy to make.
• If you prefer not to use yellow bean paste and chili bean paste, try this authentic Thai eggplant basil stir-fry recipe.
• Three-cup chicken is one of the most famous Taiwanese dishes, using plenty of basil.