The Best Chinese Keto Eggplant

These pan-fried chili garlic eggplants are soft, spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet. It’s a simple dish that can be served as a side dish, appetizer, lunch, or a main course. This Keto-friendly Chinese food is a delicious meaty option for vegetarians and vegans.

Can you omit soaking the eggplant in salt?

The first step of this Keto Chinese eggplant recipe is to add salt to the eggplant pieces and leave them for 15 minutes. This pushes out the water from the eggplant and makes it less moist. Low moisture eggplant will sauté and caramelize better. Also, extracting excess water from this vegetable will give it more room for flavor and sauce absorption. So no, we don’t recommend skipping this step.

What type of eggplant can you use for this recipe?

There are many types of eggplant ranging in color, shape, and size. For this recipe, we have used the most common eggplant in the market, globe eggplant, also known as American eggplant. It is a great all-purpose eggplant with a meaty texture and excellent absorption. You can also use zebra eggplant, Indian eggplant, or Italian eggplant. You can use Chinese eggplant for a more authentic version, which is lighter in color, longer, and thinner than the popular globe eggplant but is similar in taste and texture.

Is this Keto recipe gluten-free?

The only ingredient containing gluten in this recipe is soy sauce. Soy sauce is usually made of fermented soybeans and wheat. To make this recipe gluten-free, replace the regular soy sauce with the same amount of gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.

What can you serve this Keto Chinese dish with?

This dish is super versatile and can be served in various ways. You can serve it with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles, like most Keto Chinese food. You can also serve it in lettuce cups to add a fresh crisp.

Net Carbs

5.1 g
Fiber

2.2 g
Total Carbs

7.4 g
Protein

1.4 g
Fats

9.9 g

119 cals

Quantity

Serving Size

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Eggplant

400 g
Salt

0.5 tsp
Oil

4 tbsp
Soy sauce, low sodium

2 tbsp
Rice Vinegar

1 tbsp
Water

2 tbsp
Erythritol Granulated

2 tsp
Baking Aids Xanthan Gum

0.5 tsp
Garlic

3 clove
Hot chili peppers, red, raw

0.25 each - approx 4" - 6" long
Scallions

2 small - 3" long
Sesame seeds, hulled, toasted, unsalted

1 tbsp

Step 1

Wash (and peel, if desired) and cut the eggplant into bite-size cubes. Place the eggplant pieces in a bowl and sprinkle the salt over them. Toss to distribute, and let sit for 15 minutes.
Step 2

To a small bowl, add the soy sauce, vinegar, water, sweetener, and xanthan gum. Whisk until the sweetener has dissolved. Set the bowl aside.
Step 3

Add 2 tbsp of oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat. Drain the eggplants of excess water by pressing with your palm while discarding the liquid. Once the oil is hot, add half the eggplants and fry for 5-8 minutes until golden and soft. Repeat with the second batch.
Step 4

Place the fried eggplant onto a plate and add the remaining oil. Finely chop the garlic and chili and add them to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring until fragrant.
Step 5

Return the fried eggplant to the skillet and pour the sauce. Stir immediately and bring the sauce to a simmer. Drop the heat to medium-low and let the sauce thicken.
Step 6

Take the eggplant off the heat and transfer to a serving plate. Finely chop the scallions and sprinkle them on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.