Cooking Videos — 2026-03-30#

Watch First#

If you are looking for a vegetable dish that eats like a rich, hearty main course, you must watch today’s masterclass on Tianjin-style vegetarian braised eggplant. It breaks down the exact techniques needed to achieve a deeply caramelized, meaty flavor profile without relying on a single drop of actual meat broth.

Highlights by Theme#

Recipes & Tutorials#

Over on 老东北美食, the host walks us through a brilliant, deeply savory rendition of vegetarian braised eggplant. The recipe specifically calls for round eggplants cut into thick “axe slices,” ensuring they hold up to frying and develop a perfectly golden, apricot-colored crust. After the initial fry, the dish builds an incredible depth of flavor by slowly frying star anise to a dark coffee color, stirring in sweet bean sauce and soy sauce, and finishing the glossy plate with a drizzle of homemade Sichuan peppercorn oil.

Food Science & Tips#

This video is packed with excellent kitchen wisdom, noting that round eggplants are ideal for this technique because they naturally absorb less oil and retain more juice than their longer counterparts. The chef also points out a crucial frying tip: because eggplants have a naturally high sugar content, the oil temperature must be carefully managed at around 190 degrees so they don’t simply burn on the outside while remaining completely raw on the inside. Finally, we get a quick lesson on making infused oils, emphasizing that Sichuan peppercorns should actually be washed with water before hitting the hot oil to release their aroma flawlessly.