地三鲜地三鮮
dì sān xiān dei6 saam1 sin1
“Three fresh things from the earth” — potato, eggplant and green pepper, fried and glossed in garlic sauce. The Northeast’s favourite way to make vegetables taste like a feast.
The story behind it
The name plays on the old custom of tasting “three fresh things” in early summer; the northeastern kitchen, built on hearty farm produce and long winters, made its trio from the cellar staples that keep: potatoes, eggplant, peppers. It is the standard test of a 东北 home-style restaurant alongside guobaorou, and a beloved dish for the region’s many vegetarian-leaning meals.
Ingredients
- 2 potatoes, 1 large eggplant, 1 green pepper — all in rough chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- Sauce: 1 tbsp soy, 1 tsp sugar, splash of stock, 1 tsp cornstarch
- Oil for shallow-frying
Steps
- Fry the potato chunks until golden and cooked; remove.
- Fry the eggplant until soft and browned; drain well.
- Flash-fry the pepper, then return everything with garlic and sauce.
- Toss until the sauce glazes every edge; serve with rice immediately.