Deep fried Chinese stuffed eggplant and lotus roots.
This is a popular deep-fried food across the country especially for holidays. When I was young, I love the deep-fried dishes including this Chinese stuffed eggplants, Chinese stuffed lotus root and Sichuan deep-fried pork. Children love those not only because they are delicious and also because they are easy to carry so they can eat them as snack when playing.
We have a lovely name for food like this “box” . They are crispy outside and a savory inside part. I made two versions here, one with eggplants and the other with lotus root. They can be served directly or with dipping sauce. You can also further cook the fried box with savory sauces like Yu Xiang sauce, oyster sauce and Kung pao sauce.
Cook’s Note
1.A key ingredients for crispy enough shell is beer. I use only egg and beer to make the coating.
2. Fry the boxes twice. The first frying is to make sure they are well cooked and the second frying creates a more crisper shell and remove extra oil absorbed in the first frying.
Instructions
Clean the eggplants, remove the two ends. Then cut a 3/4 of the eggplants and don’t cut through. Then make another cut so the two slices are still attached to each other. If you use lotus root, remember to remove the skin.
Add minced pork in center to make a sandwich.
All the boxes ready!
Make a batter with flour, beer, salt and pepper and eggs. The batter should be similar with yogurt. Place all of the sandwiches in and coat well. Add the beer by batches and watch the texture of the coating.
Heat oil in a small pot. Test the oil temperature. Place a small drop of batter in oil and make sure it floats immediately.
Place the boxes in and fry until slightly browned. Transfer out and wait for all of the batch finished.
Remove the slags and then re-heat the oil for 2-3 minutes. Place the fried boxes in. Continue frying for 15 to 20 seconds. It helps to remove the extra oil, make the out shell even crisper and also a more lovely color.
Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top and serve hot. The crisp shell softened after cooled. So serve it immediately.
Stuffed eggplants/ Lotus root
Ingredients
- 1 long purple eggplant
- 1 section lotus root , peeled
Meat filling
- 1 cup minced pork
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 1 tbsp. chopped green onion
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
Batter
- 1/2 cup flour , cake flour or all purpose flour (70g)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch , 50g
- 2 eggs , 120g
- 1/4 cup beer plus more for adjusting
- 1/3 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Clean the eggplants, remove the two ends. Then cut a 3/4 of the eggplants and don’t cut through. Then make another cut so the two slices are still attached to each other. If you use lotus root, remember to remove the skin.
- Add all the ingredients for the meat filling in a large bowl. Stir in one direction until slightly.
- Add minced pork in center to make a sandwich.
- Make a batter with flour, beer, salt and pepper and eggs. Don't add all of the beer one time, adjust the amount of the beer to create a yogurt texture batter. Place all of the sandwiches in and coat well.
Firstly frying
- Heat oil in a small pot. Test the oil temperature. Place a small drop of batter in oil and make sure it floats immediately.
- Place the boxes in and fry until slightly browned. Transfer out and wait for all of the batch finished.
Second frying
- Remove the slags and then re-heat the oil for 2-3 minutes. Place the fried boxes in. Continue frying for 15 to 20 seconds. It helps to remove the extra oil and make the out shell even crisper.
- Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top and serve hot. The crisp shell softened after cooled. So serve it immediately.
I visited Chengdu two years ago and cannot for the life of me find food like that where I live. Thank you so much for the time and effort you’ve put into this site. I found the recipes for several of my favorite dishes from there. You’re awesome!
Thank you Mike for this awesome comment. I am so much encouraged.
Hi, love this dish. Could I make this ahead of time?
No. This need to be served just after cooked.
Hey, quick question about the recipe. It says 1 tsp of ginger, the instructions and the intro just say to mix it in. Is that dried ginger? Or is it grated fresh ginger? Also, the measurements for the sugar and salt just say “1/4” with no unit. Is that tbsp? Tsp? I imagine its not in cups, but theres no unit. Usually when i read this in recipes, there’s something in the instructions or the intro to clarify like “Its to taste so i just put ‘1/4’ without a measurement” or, “Fresh or powdered ginger work interchangably here, but powdered ginger is more potent, so its based on your taste”. Sorry, i just need a little more claification. Thank you. I love everything else about this recipe and am excited to make it! <3
Hi, Nancy
1, Fresh ginger, minced ginger.
2, 1/4 tsp.salt and 1/4 tsp.sugar.
This was indeed an oversight when I wrote it. I am very sorry that you were confused when reading it. Thank you again for your correction.🙏