Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Ma Po Aubergine
261 kcal a serving, against 435 for the traditional version. That is 174 kcal off, or 40%, with 25.9g of protein. Serves 4. 40 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Massive chunks of aubergine plunged into roaring hot vegetable oil until they blister and soak up the fat. Tossed in a wok with heavily marbled pork mince, fermented beans and enough chilli oil to stain your shirt from 3 feet away.
What changed, and what each change costs
Deep-frying, which soaks up 96g of oil, for roasting with 15g
Aubergine absorbs fat instantly. Roasting it on a high heat collapses the cell structure so it softens properly, while leaving the massive slick of oil out of the pan.
What it costs you. What you've got is a firmer, meatier vegetable. A rich, slippery mouthful of oil anymore is a different dish and you know where to find it. You lose that luxurious restaurant gloss entirely.
200g of fatty pork for 400g of 4% lean pork mince
I want this to be a filling main course. Stripping out the frying oil buys you the space to double the meat, while using a lean cut drives the protein right up.
What it costs you. Lean mince doesn't melt. It stays firm and slightly chewy in the sauce, lacking the soft, fatty mouthfeel of traditional pork belly or shoulder.
Traditional broad bean paste for soy sauce and chilli flakes
Proper mapo relies on fermented bean paste, which comes swimming in oil. I build a sharp base with soy sauce, chicken stock and dry chilli instead.
What it costs you. You lose the complex fermentation of the real paste. This is a punchy imitation, not the authentic article.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 435 | 261 |
| Protein | 13.3g | 25.9g |
| Fat | 34.7g | 9.5g |
| Saturated fat | 6g | 2.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 20.8g | 21.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.1g | 9.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. soybeans, gluten.
The method is in the book
This is the first time you might genuinely miss the deep fryer. Fried aubergine provides an unbeatable texture in cooking, and the roasted version is undeniably drier and less luxurious. But look at the trade. By ditching the oil bath and doubling the lean meat, you get a massive plate of fiery, savoury food that hits the mark perfectly. You give up the grease, but you keep the flavour.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback