Di San Xian is the ultimate vegetable dish from Northeastern China. The eggplant is soft and absorbs all the sauce, the potatoes are creamy, and the green peppers are crisp. Coated in a rich, savory sauce, it’s so good it rivals any meat dish.
🌴 Ingredients:
· 2 Chinese eggplants (cut into chunks)
· 2 potatoes (cut into chunks)
· 1 green bell pepper (cut into chunks)
· 1 red bell pepper (cut into chunks, for color)
🌴 Aromatics:
· 4-5 cloves minced garlic
· A small piece of minced ginger
· 1 stalk chopped scallion
🌴 Seasonings:
· 3 tbsp light soy sauce (about 30ml)
· 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (about 5ml, for color)
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce (about 10ml)
· 1 tsp sugar (about 5g, to enhance flavor)
· 1 tbsp cornstarch (about 10g, mixed with water)
· Salt, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed (for frying)
🌴 Instructions:
- Fry the Potatoes and Eggplant
Heat oil to 160°C (about 60% hot). Fry the potatoes over medium heat until golden and crispy, then drain. Fry the eggplant until the skin is wrinkled and soft, then drain. ⚠️ Note: Eggplant soaks up oil; salting it for 5 minutes and squeezing out the water helps reduce the oil absorption. I’ve tried it without salting, and it soaked up half the oil. - Make the Sauce
In a small bowl, mix the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and a pinch of salt. ⚠️ Note: Don’t skip the sugar; it’s the key to the flavor. - Stir-fry the Aromatics
Add a little oil to the pan, sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant. ⚠️ Note: Garlic is the soul of this dish; don’t skip it. - Combine and Serve
Turn to high heat, add the fried potatoes, eggplant, and peppers, and stir-fry quickly. Pour in the sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds to coat. Thicken with cornstarch slurry, sprinkle with scallion, and serve. ⚠️ Note: Be quick to keep the potatoes and eggplant crispy. I’ve tried cooking too long, and they turned soggy.
💡 More Flavorful and Satisfying Veggie Dishes:
If you enjoy this di san xian, you should also try my [Hand-torn Cabbage] for another incredibly savory and crowd-pleasing vegetable dish.
Want to explore more? Check out my full [Home-style Dishes] category!
💡 Tips:
The key to Di San Xian is “soft eggplant, creamy potatoes, rich savory sauce.” Salt the eggplant and squeeze it dry before frying to reduce oil absorption. Fry the potatoes first for a crispy exterior. Be quick when combining to keep the texture.
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