Yunnan-style Spicy Fermented Eggplant 300 g

Yunnan-style Spicy Fermented Eggplant is a characteristic delicacy in Yunnan Province. It perfectly combines the mellow taste of eggplants with a spicy flavor, possessing unique charm. The following is an introduction to it:

Selection of Ingredients

• Eggplants: Usually, fresh and thick-fleshed long eggplants locally sourced are chosen. These eggplants have a moderate water content and a soft and fluffy texture, making them suitable for pickling and fermentation.

• Seasonings: Chili peppers are a key seasoning, and mostly local dried chili peppers in Yunnan are used. They have a moderate spiciness and a rich aroma. In addition, seasonings such as salt, Chinese prickly ash, and star anise are also used to enhance the flavor.

Preparation Method

First, wash the eggplants and cut them into strips or pieces. Then, marinate them with salt for a certain period of time to make the eggplants exude excess water and become soft. After that, thoroughly mix the marinated eggplants with crushed dried chili peppers, Chinese prickly ash, star anise, and other seasonings. Next, put the eggplants mixed with seasonings into a clean jar or pot and seal it for preservation, allowing them to ferment naturally under suitable temperature and humidity conditions. After a period of fermentation, the fermented eggplant  gradually absorbs the flavors and forms its unique taste.

Flavor Characteristics

• Texture: After fermentation, the eggplants become more mellow, soft, and fluffy, melting in the mouth. At the same time, a certain degree of toughness is retained, giving a unique texture when chewed.

• Taste: With spiciness as the main flavor note, the pungency of the chili peppers blends with the mellowness of the eggplants, and the aroma is overwhelming. The sourness and fragrance generated during the fermentation process add rich layers to it, and the taste is rich and full of aftertaste.

Ways of Consumption

Yunnan-style Spicy Fermented Eggplant can be eaten directly. As an appetizing side dish, it can be paired with staple foods such as porridge and rice to increase the appetite. It can also be used for stir-frying, for example, stir-fried with minced meat to make the dish of stir-fried minced meat with fermented eggplant zhǎ, which is rich in fragrance and an excellent dish to go with rice. In addition, when cooking other dishes, an appropriate amount of fermented eggplant zhǎ can be added as a seasoning to impart a unique flavor to the dishes.