Back to recipe

Chef critique

Sichuan Pork and Eggplant Stir-Fry

A well-structured and flavorful weeknight stir-fry with a logical prep flow, though it requires adjustments to the salt quantities for the eggplant and rice, and a tweak to the eggplant cooking method to prevent sticking.

Score: 8/10

Suggested fixes

  • Increase the salt on the eggplant to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
  • Increase the salt in the rice to 1 1/4 teaspoons, or remove it entirely if a neutral contrast is preferred.
  • Add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of oil for cooking the eggplant, or add an instruction to include a splash of water and cover the pan to help it tenderize without sticking.
  • Replace the temperature target for the crumbled pork with a visual indicator, such as cooking until no pink remains.

Issues

  • medium / flavor: The eggplant is underseasoned at 1 teaspoon (about 0.6% by weight). Increase it to 1 1/2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt to reach the 1% target for vegetables.
  • medium / flavor: The rice is underseasoned at 1/2 teaspoon (about 0.4% by weight of the grain and water). Increase it to 1 1/4 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt to reach the 1% target for grains, or omit the salt entirely to serve as a traditional neutral base for the salty stir-fry.
  • medium / cookability: Cooking 1 pound of cubed eggplant in only 1 tablespoon of oil for 7 to 9 minutes will likely cause it to stick and scorch, as eggplant absorbs oil rapidly. Consider increasing the oil or instructing the cook to add a splash of water and cover the pan to steam-fry.
  • low / cookability: While 160°F is the correct safe temperature for ground pork, it is impractical to measure the temperature of tiny meat crumbles in a stir-fry with a thermometer. Rely on visual cues (such as cooking until no pink remains) for crumbled ground meat.

Strengths

  • Excellent, logical prep flow that ensures all ingredients and sauces are ready before high-heat cooking begins.
  • Correctly applies the 1.25% salting rule to the ground pork.
  • Proper use of formatted bulleted lists for multi-ingredient prep and sauce mixing.