Soft, luscious, and vibrantly purple Fish Fragrant Eggplants — a Sichuan classic, vegan-ized. The dish elicits warmth and luxury, and is marked by the trifecta of sweet, salty, and spicy. Quite the epitome of Sichuan flavors and textures.


The name “魚香,” also known as “Fish-Fragrance,” comes from the “fishy” flavors of fermented bean paste, garlic, ginger, and scallions. Note that the original, non-vegan version does not actually contain fish! Rather, minced pork is most commonly used for this dish.

An Alternative to TVP

If you do not have access to TVP or dislike using TVP, I’m here to tell you that firm tofu is a great alternative! To prepare the tofu, first press it with a tofu press or some heavy objects to remove excess liquid. Then, simply use your hands and crumble the tofu into tiny pieces as shown. From there, cook the crumbled tofu just as you would cook TVP (instructions below).
Your food always looks so amazing!
not the first time i’ve made this dish, but definitely the first time using this recipe. it was amazing, to say the least! the addition of vinegar to the preparation of the eggplants 100% added a lot more flavors. i wanted to include a picture, but i ate all of it before i could take one!
It’s so good! I’m glad you included the option to steam the eggplant. I love eggplant dishes but most of the time they seem to soak up oil (so good but so not good for my waist line). It’s still so flavorful with the sauce!
I’m definitely not a fan of eggplants, but there they are sitting on my fridge so I guess I must make this work haha Thank you for sharing!
This was fantastic! Thank you. Love your style and following on IG✨