Photo: Silvio Hesse
🥢 Cantonese-style Garlic Eggplant
(Recipe tip from Sam)
Do you know that feeling? After a long day on the water, you crave something hearty, but you want to be back on the water early the next day and don't want to risk your board sinking to the seabed during a lull because you indulged too much? Then we have something for you – something light, but still packed with flavor.
Why these ingredients?
Well, because it's Sam's mom's recipe – authentic, delicious, and full of heart. But that's not the only reason: the ingredients not only bring flavor to the plate but are also considered true kitchen classics with an extra portion of comfort.
🍆 Eggplant – Botanically a fruit vegetable and popular for its velvety texture when cooked properly. It contains fiber and is often perceived as pleasantly filling without feeling too heavy in the stomach. Exactly what you need if you don't want to fall into a "food coma" in the evening and want to be fit for your session the next morning.
🌱 Spring Onion – Delicious, light, and brings a bit of crunch and freshness to the plate – a good contrast to the tender eggplant.
🧄 Garlic – A classic with cult status that brings plenty of flavor without needing to add much salt.
🌶️ Chili: For a bit of kick with a slightly fruity flavor note.
💨 Why steam?
Steaming preserves the structure and flavors of the ingredients – especially with eggplants. They become butter-tender but still retain their shape and bite. And all this with less fat than, for example, frying, which makes the dish lighter and easier to digest.
"What?! - but you always pour a lot of oil over it!"
-"Psst ...🤫 - Yes, you can do that, but you don't have to." 😉
The recipe:
Steamed Eggplant with Cantonese-style Garlic Sauce
(For two – or one person with a big appetite)
Ingredients
For the main ingredient:
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1 eggplant (medium-sized)
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1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion
For the garlic sauce:
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6 cloves of garlic, finely minced (divide into two portions)
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1 large Bird's Eye chili (depending on spice tolerance, alternatively substitute milder or omit)
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1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
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½ tbsp soy sauce
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1 tsp sesame oil
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1 tsp brown sugar
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2 tbsp neutral oil (e.g., canola or sunflower oil)
Directions:
1. Water's up!
Heat 500 ml of water in a wok or large pot – this will later become our steam.
2. Prepare the aromatic base:
In a small pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil and sauté half of the minced garlic until it smells temptingly fragrant in the kitchen. But don't let it get too dark – otherwise, it will become bitter.
3. Mix the sauce:
In a bowl, mix all remaining sauce ingredients (including the raw half of the garlic and chili). Then carefully add the hot garlic oil.
4. Prepare the eggplant:
Trim the ends, halve the eggplant lengthwise. Lightly score each half crosswise on the cut surface (do not cut all the way through!). Place on a deep heat-resistant plate or in a small bowl and put the plate with the eggplant on a rack into the steam. Then steam for 15 minutes.
5. Garlic action:
Pour the hot sauce evenly over both eggplant halves. It should settle nicely into the scores.
6. Now continue steaming:
Place a steaming insert or a small rack in the wok (careful, it's hot!). Place the eggplant plate on top, close the lid, and steam for 10–12 minutes over medium heat.
7. Finish:
Remove the lid, sprinkle the spring onion cut into small rings over it, put the lid back on for another 2 minutes – dinner is ready.
✅ A few more tips at the end:
🌈 For beautiful color:
If you halve the eggplant before steaming, you can briefly soak it in salt water or rub it with a little lemon juice – this helps to maintain the intense purple color.
🍚 Rice with it?
Rice with it? Of course! Traditionally, jasmine rice is used – this really brings out the sauce. We usually opt for Royal Tiger. It's delicious, mid-priced, and available in many Asian shops or supermarkets. (No, we don't get anything for mentioning it.)
If you try the recipe and perhaps dream of your next vacation – then take a look at our Home collection. There you'll find furniture and accessories that bring beach vibes directly to your home.
Photos: Sam Wai Chan, Silvio Hesse
PS: This is just a recipe tip – not a diet plan and not rocket science. Try it out, enjoy it, and do whatever you want ;)
