Don't let the name confuse you — yu xiang, or 'fish-fragrant', refers to a classic Sichuan flavour combination traditionally used to cook fish, not an ingredient in the dish itself. Applied to eggplant, it's downright magic: soft, silky eggplant pieces bathed in a sauce that hits sweet, sour, salty and spicy all at once, with garlic, ginger and spring onion running right through it.
The key to great yu xiang eggplant is getting the eggplant properly tender without it turning to mush, and building that distinctive sauce from doubanjiang, vinegar and sugar so it's balanced rather than one-note. Once you've got the ratios down, this becomes a genuine weeknight regular — it's vegetarian, endlessly moreish, and just as good the next day.
Serve it alongside steamed rice and something simple like a bowl of clear broth, and let the eggplant do the heavy lifting on flavour.
