Di San Xian (Delicious Trio from Land)

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Di San Xian (Delicious Trio from Land)

This Northeast China classic is a warm, savory bowl of (vegetarian) comfort.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Servings: 4

Calories: 209kcal

Equipment

Wok
Deep-fry pot

Ingredients

Main ingredients

1 lb eggplant (any eggplant works, but Asian eggplant is best)
1 lb Yukon Gold potato
2 green bell peppers
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
¼ medium onion (chopped)

Starch mixes

2 tbsp filtered water
2 tbsp corn starch (for eggplant)
2 tbsp corn starch (for potatoes)

Stir-fry sauce

3 tbsp light soy sauce
¼ tbsp dark soy sauce
½ tsp chicken bouillon powder
¾ tbsp white sugar
½ tsp hoisin sauce
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ tbsp vodka
2 tbsp corn starch
½ tsp salt

Additional ingredients

frying oil
white sesame seeds [optional] (to garnish)

Instructions

Prep

Boil the potatoes until they are soft enough that a chopstick can easily poke into them
Remove the eggplant stems and chop them into 1½-inch pieces
Toss the eggplant pieces with 2 tbsp of starch to coat all the pieces evenly, then add the water and stir gently to coat all pieces with a moist starch coat
Remove the stems from the peppers and chop them into 1½-inch pieces
Chill and peel the potatoes, then chop them into 1½-inch pieces
Toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp of starch to coat all the pieces evenly

Deep fry

Bring oil to 370° F
Fry the eggplants for 3-5 minutes (2-3 minutes if you are using Asian eggplants) until the outer starch layer is hardened (make sure to space out the frying to keep the oil around 370° F)
Fry the potatoes for about 5 minutes until brown spots appear (make sure to space out the frying to keep the oil around 370° F)
Fry the peppers for less than 2 minutes until they are very lightly blistered

Stir fry

Bring wok to high heat, add in 4 tbsp of oil, and rock the wok to coat wok with oil
Add the onion and garlic and stir until the onion is translucent (about 1 minute)
Stir in the fried vegetables, stirring gently until mixed
Stir the stir-fry sauce and add sauce to the wok, stir until the sauce is evenly coated and most of the liquid is absorbed
Plate, garnish with sesame seeds (if desired), and serve by itself or over white rice

Notes

Asian eggplants are juicier in texture and more vibrant in color, making them the best variety for this dish.
Waxy Yukon potatoes hold their shapes well and hence are great for frying and boiling; they are also extremely accessible -- win on all fronts!
Disanxian is essentially a stir-fried dish, even tho many "healthier" versions call for braising instead; the use of starch in multiple steps helps thicken the sauce so that all the flavors are generously yet tightly wrapping every piece of ingredient -- this is a technique used frequently in stir-fries called "勾芡", which roughly translates into starch thickening.

Product recommendations

Recommendations and sources for less common ingredients and tools can be found among my Product Recommendations

Nutrition information (per serving)*

*Please note: nutrition information is my best approximation based on the ingredients I used when creating the recipe; it is intended to be informational only