Modu Recipes

Park Eun-young's Yu Xiang Eggplant and Shrimp

Stuffed eggplant pockets filled with tender minced shrimp and deep-fried until crispy, then topped with a spicy-sour perilla seed sauce infused with the pungent flavor of huajiao oil, a premium Chinese dish.

🙋 Recommended for

  • ⭐ Those looking to impress guests at dinner parties or home gatherings with an elegant Chinese fine dining experience
  • ⭐ Food enthusiasts who want to savor the softness of eggplant, the springy texture of shrimp, and the bold numbing kick of ma la all in one dish

Ingredients needed 🛒2 servings

  • eggplant 1 piece
  • minced shrimp (shrimp meat) 150g
  • wood ear mushroom a little
  • celery a little
  • red bell pepper 1/4 piece
  • green onion 1/2 stalk
  • minced garlic 1 tablespoon
  • ginger a little
  • chili oil 3 tablespoons
  • potato starch 1 cup
  • flour 2 tablespoons
  • egg 1/4 piece
  • water 6 tablespoons
  • shaoxing wine 4 tablespoons
  • light soy sauce 1 tablespoon
  • sugar 4 tablespoons
  • vinegar 2 tablespoons
  • doubanjiang 1 tablespoon
  • pepper a little
  • huajiao oil a little
  • vegetable oil as needed

Recipe 🍳

  1. Dice or finely chop the wood ear mushroom, celery, red bell pepper, and green onion for the sauce ingredients. (For celery, lightly scrape off the tough outer fibers with a knife before using.)
  2. Grate garlic and ginger finely to enhance the sauce aroma.
  3. Slice the eggplant into about 1.5cm thick pieces, making the first cut only 80% through to create a pocket shape, then fully slice through on the second cut to form a castanet-like structure.
  4. Mince the shrimp by pressing it with the back of a knife, then finely chop it. Season lightly with a small amount of pepper and shaoxing wine for basic seasoning.
  5. Fill the opened eggplant pockets tightly with the prepared minced shrimp meat.
  6. In a bowl, mix potato starch and flour. Add a small amount of beaten egg and gradually add cold water to make a crisp yet not overly heavy batter for frying.
  7. Coat the stuffed eggplant with the batter evenly, then deep-fry in heated oil twice until golden and crispy. Drain excess oil and place on a serving plate.
  8. In a separate bowl, combine water 6 tablespoons, shaoxing wine 4 tablespoons, light soy sauce 1 tablespoon, sugar 4 tablespoons, vinegar 2 tablespoons, doubanjiang 1 tablespoon, and a little pepper to prepare the perilla seed sauce in advance.
  9. Heat chili oil in a pan, sauté minced green onion, garlic, and ginger to release their fragrance, then quickly stir in the minced wood ear mushroom, celery, and red bell pepper.
  10. Pour the pre-made perilla seed sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Gradually add potato starch slurry to adjust the consistency to smooth and slightly thickened.
  11. Just before turning off the heat, drizzle a small amount of huajiao oil according to taste to add a pungent numbing aroma. Pour the finished sauce generously over the fried eggplant and shrimp.
  1. Make pocket-shaped cuts in eggplant and stuff them generously with minced shrimp meat.
  2. Coat the stuffed eggplant with a batter made from starch and flour, then deep-fry until crispy.
  3. Sauté aromatic vegetables in chili oil, add the doubanjiang sauce, bring to a boil, thicken with starch slurry, and pour over the fried eggplant.

Cooking tips 💡

  • When making the batter, mixing a small amount of flour into a potato starch base helps lock in the eggplant's moisture, resulting in a much crispier texture that lasts longer.
  • To ensure even pocket formation when cutting eggplant, place a wooden chopstick underneath to support the bottom while slicing.
  • Huajiao oil has a strong pungent aroma, so if you don't prefer the numbing spiciness, you can omit it and still enjoy a delicious authentic perilla seed sauce.

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