For all Eggplant lovers, 🍆🍚 I got an easy peasy awesome recipe for you! Instant pot Sweet and Spicy Eggplant stir fry aka delicious Meatless Monday recipe that is healthy, quick, and full of flavors! This sweet and spicy Instant Pot eggplant stir- fry is so addictive and versatile. Cooked to perfection in minutes, each bite is bursting with flavor! It is so easy to put together and make for a perfectly healthy (and delicious) lunch or dinner!
This post was originally published on April 5th 2018 and has updated instant pot instructions and video.
Hey everyone! I was going through the blog recently and noticed that we do not have many Asian/ Chinese Cuisine recipes. Its one of my family’s favorite cuisine and I felt that I am not doing justice to it considering the fact the number of times I make them at home on a monthly basis. I usually don’t plan our meals and prepare something that the kids request on that day. This is one way we get our kids excited about food. I love the fact that most Asian cuisines are prepared in under 15 minutes and we use whatever combination of protein and veggies we’ve got on hand at that time.
Try out our Teriyaki Fried Rice Bowl and Instant pot Vegetable Chow Mein and you will love the ease at which you can quickly be classified an expert cook/chef.
WHAT KIND OF EGGPLANTS TO USE IN THIS RECIPE
When I saw and purchased long, Asian eggplants from my local farmers market, I knew something sweet and spicy was in the making. We at The Belly Rules The Mind (TBRTM) love eggplant a lot !! In summer we grill it, make dips, but if you’re looking for another quick way of cooking it, a stir-fry will let you avoid cranking on the oven, too. There is something great about a simple stir-fry eggplant. It is one of the few dishes I could enjoy from pretty much any Chinese take-out menu, anytime. A good sauce is key, and you can make a tasty one for this at home to heap over a bowl of rice. I have used Chinese eggplant🍆 to make this popular side dish. The Chinese eggplant is thinner and longer than the short and thicker eggplant that is commonly available in supermarkets.
How to choose the best eggplant
- Weight
- Heavier eggplants tend to have more seeds and the seeds add up to the weight. make sure they are light
- Size
- Bigger eggplant tends to taste bitter and has more seeds
- Shape
- Longer shape eggplant has less “juice” compares to a rounder shape.
- Looks
- Make sure the eggplant does not have any bruises or cut on the outer skin. There should be no sign of mold either
How to prevent eggplants from turning black after cutting
If you keep the eggplants cut for a long time in the open air, it oxidizes and turns brown/black. To prevent this you can prepare a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon of salt in it. Place the cut eggplants inside the water and this will help to prevent or slow down the discoloration.
Pressure cooking the eggplants is much better than deep frying
Raw eggplants have a texture like a sponge. They taste plain on their own and absorb pretty much anything you cook them in. Eggplants taste good when they are soft and almost mushy.
This recipe is perfect for summer and one you need to put on your “must try” list. This is a quick and easy Chinese eggplant stir fry is made in a delicious sauce that’s sweet and tangy. Plus, the eggplant pieces are so tender, they almost melt in your mouth. Ready in 15 minutes from start to finish. It’s one my whole family and loves and a dish were all your family and friends always end up going back for seconds. The Eggplants is so tender and the sauce on top is truly divine. We love serving the sweet and spicy Eggplant in lettuce wraps, but you could also serve over a bed of rice.
How do I serve this amazingly flavorful eggplant Stir Fry?
This quick and easy Sweet & Spicy Eggplant stir fry is flavored with garlic, ginger, green onions, bell peppers, onions, sesame, and a bit of spice. You can even add mushrooms or Tofu in it. The sweet and spicy sauce is what truly makes this eggplant over the top. It has the perfect flavor! You can eat this Instant Pot garlic eggplant many different ways. Since the eggplant is very hearty and filling, it can serve as a vegan meat substitute – ladle this eggplant over rice or quinoa or on the lettuce as my family loves it!
Sweet and Spicy Eggplant Lettuce Wrap / Veggie Lettuce Wrap anyone?
This is a one-pot recipe done in under 15 minutes end to end. The time to cook this recipe is probably the best thing about the recipe apart from its flavor. Then all you need to do is serve it in a lettuce wrap. We like to add a few green onions, crunchy peanuts on top too.
This recipe makes a great appetizer or for dinner with rice or a light lunch like me and R1 used some lettuce to make Eggplant lettuce wraps :D. Basic ingredients make this recipe a quick on to stir-fry together in less than 15 minutes. The recipe can be tweaked for your taste, liking and enjoyment, add in mushrooms, tofu….. Do check out other Asian recipes on our blog here
Sweet and Spicy Eggplant Stir Fry Recipe Video
Instant pot Sweet & Spicy Eggplant Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 eggplant, cut into thick sticks
- 1 small onion/sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper/ sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper/ sliced
- a small piece of ginger/ julienne
- 5 cloves garlic/chopped
- 1 tsp 5 spice powder
- 1 green onion/ chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- For the sauce
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce or Coconut Secret® Soy-Free Seasoning Sauce
- 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
- 2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 Tbsp Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Ketchup
- Roasted Peanuts / For garnish/ optional
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted /for garnish/optional
- How do you serve it
- Butter or Bibb Lettuce for making Lettuce wraps or white rice
Instructions
Instant pot instructions
- Wash the eggplant and chop it into sticks as shown in the video.
- In a bowl add soy sauce,ketchup , sriracha sauce,sweet chilli sauce and vinegar and stir to mix.
- Press 'Saute' function and allow the HOT to pop up.
- Add olive oil to the hot inner pot.
- Add the chopped onions, bell peppers, ginger and garlic and stir.
- Add in the Eggplant , 5 spice seasoning and the Sweet & Spicy Sauce.
- Pour in the water and press CANCEL.
- Pressure cook it for 6 min.
- Let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 5 minutes and then release any remaining pressure using the Quick Release (QR) method.
- Open the lid and check the consistency.Press SAUTE button and cook it til desired consistency.
- Sprinkle the green onions, sesame seeds and peanuts and serve.
- stove top instructions
- Heat a pan, put in oil, add garlic and ginger saute it for few seconds.
- Add the eggplant and green chilies.
- Add the onions and bell peppers, and stir-fry briefly.
- Add sweet & spicy sauce.
- Stir it well.
- serve it with Butter or Bibb lettuce.Garnish with toasted sesame seed, peanuts or cashews, and ginger if desired.
Recommended Products
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Instant Pot Ultra 6 Qt 10-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Cake Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer - Huy Fong Sriracha Chili Hot Sauce, 28 Ounce Bottle (Pack of 2) (1 Pack)
- Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce - 16.9 fl. oz + One NineChef Spoon (1 Bottle)
- Kikkoman Soy Sauce - 10 oz
- Heinz Distilled White Vinegar, 128 oz, Poly Bagged & Boxed
- Simply Organic Five Spice Powder, 2.01 Ounce
- Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce 32OZ (Pack of 2)
Perky says
Any nutritional info?
Perky says
I didn’t have sweet chili sauce so I used chili paste..result was hot. I did in instant pot and the sauce was way too runny when finished. Tried to reduce and then thickened with cornstarch. Odd directions, for example on the IP it says to add chopped onions but in ingredients it says sliced. In stove top, it ways to add green chilis, no green chilis in recipe ingredients. BUT all in all it is very tasty although mine was a scorcher.
Chris West says
This recipe sounds amazing! the spicier the landscaping
Click here says
I love the look of this dish! Thank you for the recipe. Great to have a non-meat based dish to try out. Car Window Tinting Fayetteville NC
Shane says
great recipe. i love using lots of spices in my cooking.
local piano tuner
Varvara says
I am a vegan and always looking for some new meatless recipes. This in one is really delicious and gonna be my fave. Happy to find this blog!
your electrician
Linda Book says
Great blog, belly truly rules the mind. The more spices the better towing.
Robert Ross says
I love Indian cuisine, however it is not very healthy for my stomach. But this recipe is wiring.
Vera Taylor says
Love your recipe, gonna make it soon!
Would love to add some indian pest spices to this dish.
Varvara says
Would love to cook the eggplants. I will though add some Chinese tree
mushrooms.
Dem Smith says
super recipes!
Varvara says
Great website
! Will read more of it! Thanks for excellent
recipes! I also would love to add tree
mushrooms to the eggplants.
Veronika Cook says
Excellent recipes, especially eggplant stir fry lettuce! Will definetely try to cook it!
click
AlexanderMonte says
Thanks for the very interesting post and the recipes! I loooove indian food!!!
click herel
janine says
Wow! This one’s a winner
jane says
My boys would both probably DIG this!
romeo says
This looks so delightful and tasty
Jennifer Maune says
These look so yummy – and pretty! Perfect recipe idea for spring!
-Jennifer
https://maunelegacy.com
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks, hope you give it a try Jennifer!
jessica says
these flavors sound so intriguing and i just LOVE butter lettuce!
Soniya Saluja says
Thank you!! Same pinch they are perfect for lettuce wraps!
Kim says
This is perfect as a quick snack or meal. I will be trying this to add some variety to my dishes. Thanks for sharing.
Brittany says
These look great – such beautiful colors! I bet the flavor is amazing, too!
confettiandbliss says
Wow! These beautiful lettuce wraps look so delicious. I love that they’re healthy and filled with goodness the whole family will love. Thank you for this tasty recipe!
emma says
This looks really good! I haven’t really found a way to prepare eggplant I like, but I’ll have to give this one a shot. :)
Leslie says
I wish my kids loved Asian food as much as I do. They’re slowly coming around, but it’s a work in progress. When they do, I look forward to trying out this recipe. Yum!
Kushi says
We love Eggplant anything. This sweet & spicy combo sounds so interesting. pinning it for later.
Veena Azmanov says
mmm…this looks delicious!!! I need to try this! I’ve never had anything like this. Looks good! Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Celebrating Sweets says
These sound sooooo flavorful! I wouldn’t even miss the meat.
Kate | The Organized Dream says
Anything to do with a lettuce wrap and I’m there! These look great!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
I have never been a fan of eggplant but this dish looks AMAZING! I’ve also never thought to stir fry eggplant and I think that’s a genius idea. Thank you so much – you may have changed my mind about eggplant entirely!
Erin - Suburban Simplicity says
Definitely looks like the perfect recipe to try for summer. Flavorful, yet light and delicious. All fresh ingredients!
Soniya Saluja says
Oh yes.. you got that correct! Thank you👍
Monice says
I’m not a big fan of eggplant but this recipe makes me want to try it!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks, u have few friends who are not a big eggplant fan..but they have enjouen this version Everytime they have made it :) do give it a try!
wellhappywhole says
These look so amazing! I love lettuce wraps and am a HUGE fan of eggplant! Adding this to my bookmarks for later!
Soniya Saluja says
Thank you so much, do share your experience with us when you try it :)
Hadia says
Your Eggplant stir-fry /Lettuce wrap sounds so delicious and flavorful! I am glad I have found your blog! I am a huge fan of Indian cuisine!
Soniya Saluja says
Hello Hadia, Thanks!!We are glad you liked our recipe and our blog :D