Thai basil aubergine
Sweet, smoky Thai basil aubergine stir-fry with garlic, fish sauce and chilli — saucy and fragrant, perfect with jasmine rice.
This Thai basil aubergine is all about contrast: soft, smoky aubergine pieces bathed in a sticky, umami-rich sauce and lifted by peppery Thai basil. It’s quick enough for a weeknight but showy enough for dinner with friends.
Make it with jasmine rice and a pile of steamed veg. The method browns the aubergine first so it keeps its shape and soaks up the saucy, garlicky finish — the trick to proper Thai aubergine nirvana.
Ingredients
- 800 g aubergines
- 10 ml sea salt — use 1 tsp for salting aubergines, remainder to taste
- 60 ml vegetable oil — for frying
- 6 garlic cloves — finely sliced
- 3 shallots — thinly sliced
- 3 bird's eye chillies — slice thin, adjust to heat preference
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml oyster sauce
- 15 g soft light brown sugar — or palm sugar
- 50 ml water
- 40 g Thai basil leaves — whole leaves, picked from stems
- 2 spring onions — cut on the diagonal into 3cm lengths
- 1 lime — juice to finish
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil — finish drizzle
Instructions
Halve the aubergines lengthways, then cut into roughly 2cm chunks. Put in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt and toss. Leave to sweat for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes drain the aubergines, rinse briefly under cold water to remove excess salt, then pat very dry with kitchen paper. Excess moisture will cause oil to spit and prevent browning.
Heat half the vegetable oil (about 30 ml) in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Fry the aubergine in batches so the pan isn’t overcrowded, turning occasionally, until golden and soft (about 6–8 minutes per batch). Transfer each batch to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Pour away any excess oil from the pan leaving roughly 2 tbsp. Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining oil, then add the shallots, garlic and bird's eye chillies. Fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the shallots begin to soften.
Stir in the light soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, soft light brown sugar and water. Simmer for 1–2 minutes to dissolve the sugar and bring the flavours together.
Return all the fried aubergine to the pan and toss gently to coat in the sauce. Simmer for 3–4 minutes so the aubergine absorbs the sauce and the liquid reduces slightly.
Turn off the heat and immediately stir through the Thai basil leaves and spring onions for about 30 seconds so they wilt but stay bright. Squeeze over the lime juice and drizzle with toasted sesame oil, then transfer to a serving dish.
Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice or sticky rice. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat gently in a frying pan.
Tips
- Salt the aubergine and let it sweat — this removes excess moisture and bitterness and helps the pieces brown.
- Dry aubergine thoroughly before frying; damp aubergine will steam and absorb far more oil.
- Fry in batches. Crowding the pan cools it and gives soggy aubergine instead of caramelised edges.
- Make-ahead: cook the aubergine and sauce separately, then combine and reheat gently; add basil at the last moment.
- To reduce oil, after frying the aubergine spoon off excess oil and use the residual pan oil to make the sauce.
Substitutions
fish sauce → light soy sauce 30 ml + 5 ml lime (adds saltiness and acidity)
Noticeably differentoyster sauce → mushroom soy or vegetarian oyster sauce, same quantity
Stays closelight soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (for gluten-free)
Stays closeThai basil leaves → sweet basil, same quantity (aroma will be less peppery and more sweet)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 208
- Calories
- 4 g
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How do I make this vegetarian?
Use vegetarian oyster sauce or mushroom soy and replace fish sauce with extra light soy or a dash of seaweed stock for umami. The flavour will be slightly different but still delicious.
Can I roast or air-fry the aubergine instead of frying?
Yes. Roast at 220°C fan/240°C conventional for 20–25 minutes or air-fry at 200°C for 12–15 minutes until golden. Then toss with the sauce in the pan to finish.
Will the dish keep and reheat well?
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a frying pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce; add basil freshly when serving.
My sauce is too salty — how can I fix it?
Add a little more soft brown sugar and a splash of water or lime juice to balance. Adding extra aubergine or plain steamed rice will also dilute the saltiness.
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