The minute I ate Makheua Yao Pad Tao Jiao (Thai stir-fried brinjal with minced meat), I knew I wanted to recreate it at home.
But first, I had to identify the secret ingredient that was the key to its unforgettable taste.
I first ate it at The Fisher by Krua Thai, a new-ish Thai restaurant on Transfer Road, Penang.
To be honest, I only ordered it because we needed some vegetables. And this had brinjal and basil leaves, my two favourite non-meat foods in the world.
My Thai stir-fried brinjal dish arrived looking rather ordinary, I must say. The purple wasn’t too pronounced (sign of overcooking or braising too long), the meat was rather colourless (opposed to the dark brown that’s the sign of caramelisation) the whole thing had a plain brownish monochrome. Not terribly appetizing to the eye.
Then I took a bite and gasped.
Although the minced chicken lacked colour, it was a flavour bomb that matched beautifully with the soft brinjal, the subtle herbiness of basil and that sauce…
Oh man that sauce. What the h*** was in it?
I was sure it had fish sauce and oyster sauce. But there was also something more savoury. A hint of funk. Could it be t*****..?
So I Googled. And Googled. And Googled. None of the ingredient lists contained that X factor (I’ll reveal it in a minute).
Then finally, I stumbled upon an article on Serious Eats. Bingo!
Yes, Serious Eats is a website written by kwailos but I believe my tongue more than I believe publicly-shared written recipes, so I decided to go with my gut.
What is that X factor?
Taucheo. Tauchu. Taucu. Fermented black soybean paste.
This popular Chinese condiment lends a complexity, and yes, funk, to dishes that has greater depth than soy sauce, fish sauce or any of those sauces. Because of that funk, you only use it sparingly.
I know. Not the kind of ingredient one would associate with a Thai dish, right? Maybe the dish has been localised. Hokkien-ised. Penang-ised.
Perhaps it might not even be authentic.
Who cares when it tastes so good?
One Key Step in my Recipe That Isn’t Conventional
I learned this neat trick from Nagi of Recipetineats a while back: how to cook brinjal with as little oil as possible.
Her method is genius. You panfry the brinjal flesh side down, then add a bit of water and cover with a lid, and steam it for 2-3 minutes gyoza-style. Voila!
You get brinjal that’s completely cooked inside and has a bit of caramelisation outside, WITHOUT drowning it in a bath of oil.
Read on for the recipe!
For more yummy Thai dishes, click here!
Thai Stir-fried Brinjal with Minced Meat
Equipment
- wok
- Mixing bowl for sauce
- Chopping board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized brinjal
- Enough water to cover while steaming
- Cooking oil
- 2-3 bird's eye chillies
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
Chicken
- 80g minced chicken
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
Sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp tauchu (fermented black soybean paste)
- pinch of sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour
- At least half cup water
Instructions
- Prepare chicken first: marinate minced chicken in fish sauce and white pepper powder for at least half an hour.
- Slice brinjal into soldiers, roughly 1.5cm thick and 6cm long
- Heat up wok and lightly oil surface.
- Place brinjal on top, flesh side down. Cook until bottom starts to char. Leave the brinjal undisturbed.
- Pour in just enough water to cover half the brinjal
- Cover with lid and steam for 2-3 minutes or until water has evaporated and brinjal is soft. Remove from wok.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together.
- Now, heat up wok and add oil. Once hot, add in chicken and sear until meat starts to brown.
- Add sauce ingredients and mix well so that the flavours can penetrate the chicken.
- When chicken is cooked, add brinjal. By adding it halfway, your brinjal will still retain some colour. Mix together everything in wok.
- Add more water as needed. This dish should be saucy.
- Add bird's eye chillies. You do this at the end so that the chilli taste doesn't have too much time to penetrate and the dish is not so spicy hot.
- Finally, add basil leaves and stir through. Once it wilts, remove from wok.
Notes
Thai Stir-Fried Brinjal with Minced Meat (Makheua Yao Pad Tao Jiao) - Quick FAQ
1. What is Makheua Yao Pad Tao Jiao?It’s a Thai stir-fried dish made with long purple brinjal, minced meat, basil, and a savoury sauce flavoured with fermented soybean paste. 2. What gives this dish its deep, savoury flavour?
The key ingredient is fermented black soybean paste (taucheo), which adds umami and a subtle funk that other sauces can’t replicate. 3. Is taucheo commonly used in Thai cooking?
It’s not traditional in classic Thai recipes, but it’s often used in localised or Chinese-influenced Thai dishes, especially in places like Penang. 4. Can I substitute taucheo if I don’t have it?
You can try miso or additional oyster sauce, but the flavour won’t be quite the same. Taucheo gives a unique depth that’s hard to replace. 5. What type of brinjal works best for this recipe?
Long Asian brinjal (Thai or Chinese eggplant) works best because it becomes soft and silky without falling apart. 6. How do you cook brinjal without using too much oil?
Pan-fry the brinjal flesh-side down, then add a little water, cover, and steam it briefly. This cooks it through without soaking up oil. 7. What protein is best for this dish?
Minced chicken is commonly used, but minced pork works just as well and gives a richer flavour. 8. Why does the minced meat look pale but still taste flavourful?
The flavour comes from the sauces and fermented paste rather than caramelisation, so colour isn’t an indicator of taste here. 9. What herbs are essential for this dish?
Thai basil is key. It adds a fresh, slightly spicy aroma that balances the richness of the sauce. 10. What should I serve with Thai stir-fried brinjal?
Steamed white rice is ideal. It absorbs the sauce and balances the strong savoury flavours of the dish.