Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork

Keto Recipes > Keto Dinner Recipes

This is a simplified and shortcut version of my favorite Sichuan dish called Yu Xiang wherein eggplant pieces are coated in cornstarch, deep fried, and doused with a spicy garlic sauce. It’s better than takeout, for sure!

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork

Yields 4 servings of Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork.

The Preparation

  • 1 medium eggplant, sliced crosswise
  • 1/4 cup crushed pork rinds
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup beef stock, or water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine *
  • 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar substitute, such as Lakanto Golden **
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • Scallions, to garnish
  • Sesame Seeds, to garnish

* Substitute with Dry Sherry
** May use Allulose or granulated Erythritol in place of brown sugar substitute

The Execution

1. Soak eggplant pieces in salted water. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash and drain.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork
2. Meanwhile, in a wok, heat olive oil until hot. Add crushed red pepper flakes. Stir then remove from heat and let sit to steep. Strain.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork
3. Using all but 2 tablespoons of reserved oil, pour over eggplant pieces to coat. Dredge slightly damp eggplant pieces in crushed pork rinds.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork
4. To make the sauce mixture, combine stock, tamari, shaoxing wine, sweetener, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork

5. Dry fry eggplant pieces. Remove and set aside.
6. Add reserved 2 tablespoons of reserved oil to wok. Saute garlic until aromatic.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork

7. Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork
8. Return eggplant pieces and pour in sauce mixture.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork
9. Continue to cook until the eggplant is soft and the sauce is reduced. Stir in xanthan gum, as necessary, to thicken the sauce. Garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork

This makes 8 servings of Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork. Each serving comes out to be 485 Calories, 39.27g Fats, 5.31g Net Carbs, and 23.66g Protein.

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork Calories Fats (g) Carbs (g) Fiber (g) Net Carbs (g) Protein (g)
1 (458 g) eggplant 114 0.82 26.93 13.7 13.23 4.49
1/4 cup crushed pork rinds 80 5 0 0 0 8
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 477 54 0 0 0 0
1 tablespoon crushed pepper flakes 18 1 3 1.5 1.5 1
1/4 cup beef stock 8 0.05 0.72 0 0.72 1.18
1 1/2 tablespoons tamari 16 0.03 1.5 0 1.5 2.84
1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine 18 0 0 0 0 0
1/2 tablespoon lakanto golden 0 0 6 4.5 1.5 0
3 cloves garlic 13 0.04 2.98 0.2 2.78 0.57
1 pound ground pork 1193 96.12 0 0 0 76.57
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 3 0 0.78 0.78 0 0
Totals 1940 157.06 41.91 20.68 21.23 94.65
Per Serving(/4) 485 39.27 10.48 5.17 5.31 23.66
Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork

Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork

This makes 8 servings of Spicy Eggplant and Minced Pork. Each serving comes out to be 485 Calories, 39.27g Fats, 5.31g Net Carbs, and 23.66g Protein.
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium eggplant sliced crosswise
  • ¼ cup crushed pork rinds
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup beef stock or water
  • 1 ½ tablespoons tamari
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine *
  • ½ tablespoon brown sugar substitute such as Lakanto Golden **
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • teaspoon xanthan gum
  • Scallions to garnish
  • Sesame Seeds to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Soak eggplant pieces in salted water. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash and drain.
  • Meanwhile, in a wok, heat olive oil until hot. Add crushed red pepper flakes. Stir then remove from heat and let sit to steep. Strain.
  • Using all but 2 tablespoons of reserved oil, pour over eggplant pieces to coat. Dredge slightly damp eggplant pieces in crushed pork rinds.
  • To make the sauce mixture, combine stock, tamari, shaoxing wine, sweetener, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.
  • Dry fry eggplant pieces. Remove and set aside.
  • Add reserved 2 tablespoons of reserved oil to wok. Saute garlic until aromatic.
  • Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink.
  • Return eggplant pieces and pour in sauce mixture.
  • Continue to cook until the eggplant is soft and the sauce is reduced. Stir in xanthan gum, as necessary, to thicken the sauce.
  • Garnish with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.