For a quick and tasty main dish, try my Easy Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry. This one-pan recipe cooks up fast any night of the week with simple yet satisfying ingredients and savory flavors you’ll love.
Did you know that Japanese-style Chinese cuisine called Chuka ryori is hugely popular in Japanese home cooking? We especially love tasty stir-fries because they cook up fast. My Easy Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry is a one-pan dish with simple ingredients and classic flavors that my family loves. I hope you give this quick and delicious recipe a try at home, too.
If you love stir fries, try my Yakisoba, Miso Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry, and Yaki Udon recipes next!
Why I Love This Recipe
- A classic combo – I love pairing rich and succulent pork belly with luxurious, tender eggplant that absorbs all the flavors of this dish.
- Big on flavor – I combine aromatic garlic with savory oyster sauce and sweet mirin for a simple seasoning that hits all the right notes.
- Ready in 20 minutes – With a short list of ingredients and a quick cooking method, this dish is perfect for dinner on a busy weeknight.
Ingredients for Easy Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry
- Sliced pork belly
- Japanese or Chinese eggplants
- Green onions/scallions
- Garlic cloves
- Dried red chili pepper
- Toasted sesame oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Seasonings:
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Substitutions
- Sliced pork belly: This cut is available at Japanese and Asian markets. If you can’t find it, follow my tutorial for How to Slice Meat Thinly at home.
- Oyster sauce: If you‘re allergic to shellfish, use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce.
- Green onions/scallions: Substitute garlic chives (Chinese chives or nira in Japanese) if you have them.
- Mirin: If you can’t find it, try mixing 1 Tbsp sake (or water) + 1 tsp sugar for 1 Tbsp mirin. The flavor isn’t the same, but it’s close.
- Soy sauce: Use tamari soy sauce for gluten-free.
How to Make Easy Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry
Preparation
Step 1 – Cut the ingredients. Slice the pork belly, green onions, and eggplants into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces.
Step 2 – Prep the chili, garlic, and seasonings. De-seed and chop the chili peppers, then crush the garlic. Combine the oyster sauce, mirin, and soy sauce in a small bowl.
Cooking
Step 3 – Sauté. In a wok, skillet, or saucepan, cook the pork in sesame oil until no longer pink. Remove to a plate. Sauté the eggplant until slightly softened and golden.
Step 4 – Combine. Add the pork, green onions/scallions, garlic, and chili pepper to the pan. Toss and stir-fry it together.
Step 5 – Add the seasoning. Pour in the seasoning mixture and toss to coat the ingredients well.
Assemble
Step 6 – Serve. Transfer the stir-fry to a serving plate or individual plate and enjoy.
Nami’s Recipe Tips
- Cut uniform pieces – I keep all the eggplant pieces the same size so they cook evenly. I do the same for the pork and green onions, too.
- Soak the cut eggplant in water – This removes the astringent taste and keeps it from turning dark (oxidizing). I soak it while prepping the other ingredients, then drain the water well when I’m ready to cook.
- Cook it quickly – This dish cooks in 10 minutes. Stir-fry it fast so the pork browns nicely, the green onion stays crisp, and the eggplant doesn’t turn mushy.
- Sauté the ingredients separately – Cook the pork first and remove it from the pan, then stir-fry the eggplant. These ingredients cook at different rates, so I separate them and cook each to perfection.
- Add a splash of water – If you use a stainless pan like I do, you may want to loosen the ingredients with a small amount of water right before you add the seasoning mixture. This will help you coat the ingredients more easily.
- Aim for a dry finish – This dry stir-fry has very little sauce. The extra moisture from the seasonings (and the splash of water) should evaporate by the time the dish is done to intensify the flavors.
Variations and Customizations
- Use a different protein. Try thinly sliced chicken thighs, sliced pork loin, or beef. Ground chicken and ground pork are other delicious options.
- Try zucchini. Instead of eggplant, make it with zucchini squash.
- Add grated ginger. It adds a classic aroma and flavor to this Chinese-style dish.
- Top with shiso. Garnish with julienned shiso (perilla) leaves. Shiso is one of my favorite Japanese herbs, and it goes so well with eggplant.
- Season with miso. Use it in place of the oyster sauce as the primary seasoning. For a miso seasoning mixture, I like to add sake, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and a little water.
What to Serve with Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry
Storage Tips
To store: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days and in the freezer for a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Actually, this dish is a dry stir-fry, so it has very little sauce. We add very little oil or moisture to the pan and evaporate the seasoning liquid to intensify the flavors. See my instructions in the recipe card for how I do it.
You can certainly experiment with your own seasonings. I suggesting adding just a teaspoon or two to start, then taste it before adding more.
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