The Chinese eggplant — smothered in a thick black bean sauce, loaded with ginger and garlic — is a staple of Sichuan cooking and versatile with rice and noodles. Here, the classic dish is reimagined as tacos. Pungent, salty and slightly sweet at the same time, it’s a lip-smacking, greasy way to spice up your taco night.
Eggplant tacos with spicy black bean sauce
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Makes 4 to 6 tacos
- soft corn tortilla shells
- 1 large Chinese eggplant, cut into strips
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut into slices
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 inch of fresh ginger, finely minced
- 1 to 2 tbsp black bean sauce*
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- optional: white sesame seeds, red chili flakes, sambal oelek, hoisin sauce, sriracha, cilantro
- Chop the eggplant and season with salt in a bowl.
- Chop the red bell pepper and green onions. Chop the garlic and mince the ginger. Set aside.
- Heat a fry pan with coconut oil.
- Stir fry the garlic, ginger and veggies with black bean sauce, about 8 minutes in total.
- Warm up the taco shells and load up the eggplant filling.
*Note: A number of companies make black bean sauce, but look for one without additives or preservatives. I found mine made locally in Toronto, with fermented black beans, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce, sunflower oil and cayenne pepper.
This recipe works great for burritos and fajitas or on its own.
Lazy Vegans 