Fish-fragrant eggplant (yu heung ke zi in Cantonese and yu xiang qie zi in Mandarin) is a dish that originated in Sichuan province, where, despite its name, it is made without fish. In Hong Kong, though, the version served at most Cantonese restaurants – from upmarket places to dai pai dong – contains dried salted fish.
Many restaurants serve this bubbling in a clay pot (in which case, the dish is called yu heung ke zi bo), which is rustic and keeps the contents hot. Because the ingredients simmer longer, the very tender pieces of eggplant soak up all the flavours. Briefly cook the ingredients in a wok, scrape into a clay pot and simmer, covered, on the stovetop for about 15 minutes. Check occasionally that it is not drying out, and if it is, add more liquid. Alternatively, simply simmer the ingredients for longer in the covered wok.
There are many types of salted fish. Choose a moist, meaty fillet, not one that’s too dry or bony. The eggplants should be as skinny as possible.
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