Stuffed Eggplant with Vegan Pork

This stuffed eggplant with vegan pork recipe is delicious that was braised in a flavorful bean sauce. Inspired by the popular Hakka Yong Tau Foo (stuffed tofu), this dish is sure to whet your appetite. It's best served with a warm bowl of rice for a tasty meal.

📝 Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs eggplant (used Chinese eggplant)
• 1 package omnipork ground
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice
• 3 tablespoon finely minced carrot
• 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• drizzle of sesame oil
• dash of pepper
• cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons doubanjiang (fermented bean sauce)
• 3 cups of water (plus more)
• cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon chopped red jalapeños
• a handful of chopped scallions
• sprinkles of toasted sesame seeds

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Prepare the stuffing ---
2. 2Empty the OmniPork Ground in a bowl. Then, add the carrot, ginger juice, soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, pepper, sesame oil, and mix everything together until well-combined. The paste should look thick and sticky.
3. 3--- Prepare the eggplant ---
4. 4Wash the eggplant and pat dry with a towel. Place an eggplant on a chopping board, then trim off the end. Cut eggplant crosswise into 2-inch sections. You may get 3 or 4 logs depending on the length of your eggplant. Now, stand a log tall and halve it vertically. Lay the flat surface down with the skin side facing you.
5. 5Arrange two fork handles to secure the eggplant as a guide so you don't cut through it.
6. 6Using a sharp knife, make 4-5 slits (5mm each). Repeat with the remaining eggplants. I got about 22 eggplant halves.
7. 7Fill a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Rub the eggplant's slit generously with cornstarch. Using the spoon handle or butter knife, stuff the opening with the mixture, pushing gently to adhere. Smooth out the top and transfer to a baking pan. Repeat until all eggplants are stuffed and transfer them to a baking sheet pan. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch in a fine-mesh sieve. Dust the eggplant with cornstarch.
8. 8--- Cook the eggplant ---
9. 9To cook the eggplant, add a thin layer of oil to cover a large non-stick skillet bottom (I used 12").
10. 10Arrange the eggplant in the pan in one single layer, stuffed side facing up. I cook mine in 2 separate batches. Pan-fry over medium-low heat until the bottom turns slightly brownish. Carefully flip the eggplant and pan-fry this side until a thin crust forms, about 3-5 minutes.
11. 11Flip the eggplant again so the stuffed side faces up. Season with 1 tablespoon of each (I half the sauce since I cook mine in 2 batches): light soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, and doubanjiang. Then, slowly add in 1½ cups of water. Bring it to a boil and cover the pan with a lid and braise for 2-3 minutes over medium heat until the flavors meld and the eggplant is fully cooked through.
12. 12While waiting, mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water to make a slurry.
13. 13Uncover and swirl in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Transfer a plate. Repeat the same cooking step with the remaining eggplant if cooking in 2 batches. Garnish with chopped red jalapeños, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm with rice.