Three Delicacies of the Earth (Northeastern Chinese Cuisine · Savory and Rice-Pairing)

I. Ingredient Preparation

1. Main Ingredients

• Potato: 1 piece (about 200g, choose yellow-core potatoes for a dense texture). Peel and cut into 2cm cubes. Soak in clean water for 10 minutes to remove surface starch (prevent sticking during frying), then drain thoroughly.
• Eggplant: 1 piece (about 200g, choose long eggplants with smooth skin). Cut into cubes of the same size as the potato. Soak in clean water for 5 minutes (to prevent oxidation and browning). After draining, pat dry the surface with kitchen paper.
• Green bell pepper: 1 piece (about 100g, either spicy or non-spicy is acceptable). Remove seeds and cut into 2cm cubes.

2. Auxiliary Ingredients

• Ginger: 5g, minced.
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced.
• Scallion: 5g, chopped.

3. Seasonings

• Light soy sauce: 1.5 tablespoons.
• Rice vinegar: 1 teaspoon (for enhancing freshness, optional).
• White sugar: 1 pinch (about 0.3g, to balance saltiness).
• Cornstarch: 1 tablespoon (1 teaspoon for sauce, 0.5 tablespoon for coating eggplant, 0.5 tablespoon for coating potato).
• Salt: 1 pinch (about 0.5g).
• Cooking oil: Appropriate amount (for frying ingredients, about 500ml, can be reused 1-2 times).
• Clean water: 3 tablespoons (for making sauce).

II. Tool Preparation

• Wok (a deep one, convenient for frying ingredients), spatula, slotted spoon.
• Kitchen knife, cutting board.
• Small bowls (for making sauce and coating with starch).
• Kitchen paper (for drying the surface of ingredients).

III. Cooking Method

1. Preprocessing Ingredients

• After draining the potato cubes, sprinkle 0.5 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss gently to ensure each cube is evenly coated with a thin layer of starch.
• After patting the eggplant cubes dry, sprinkle 0.5 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss similarly (to reduce oil absorption).
• Make the sauce in a small bowl: Mix 1.5 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar, 1 pinch of white sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, and 3 tablespoons of clean water until well combined.

2. Frying Potatoes

• Pour a sufficient amount of cooking oil into the wok. Heat the oil to 180°C (when a chopstick is inserted, small bubbles form around it). Add the potato cubes and fry over medium heat for 3 minutes until the surface turns golden and the inside becomes soft. Use a slotted spoon to remove, drain excess oil, and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

3. Frying Eggplants

• Increase the oil temperature to 210°C. Add the eggplant cubes and fry over medium heat for 2 minutes until the eggplants become soft and the surface is slightly browned. (Eggplants absorb a lot of oil; after frying, gently press with a slotted spoon to drain excess oil.) Remove and place together with the potatoes.

4. Stir-Frying Green Bell Peppers and Seasoning

• Leave 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok. Turn to low heat, add minced ginger and garlic, and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Turn to high heat, add the green bell pepper cubes, and stir-fry for 1 minute until the peppers become soft but still retain a crispy texture.
• Add the fried potatoes and eggplants, stir-fry quickly for 1 minute to mix the ingredients evenly.
• Pour the prepared sauce along the edge of the wok. Stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats all the ingredients. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped scallions.

IV. Final Dish Description

Three Delicacies of the Earth has a bright, glossy appearance. The potatoes are golden and dense, the eggplants are tender and flavorful, and the green bell peppers are bright green with a slight crispness. All three ingredients are coated in a savory sauce, offering a rich and layered taste. The eggplants are fully infused with the aroma of the sauce, the potatoes have a starchy denseness, and the crispness of the bell peppers balances out the greasiness. It is a “rice-pairing staple” in Northeastern Chinese cuisine, perfect for serving with rice or steamed buns.

V. Suitable Crowds

• Lovers of rich flavors and Northeastern Chinese cuisine.
• Families for gatherings and office workers (the preparation is slightly complicated but it pairs well with rice; it can be made in larger quantities at one time).
• Non-fussy adults and children (the taste is savory and there are no stimulating seasonings).

VI. Safety Precautions

• Use a sufficient amount of oil when frying ingredients, and control the oil temperature well to prevent the potatoes and eggplants from burning.
• Eggplants absorb a lot of oil; be sure to drain excess oil after frying to reduce greasiness.
• When stir-frying the sauce, use high heat and stir quickly to avoid the sauce sticking to the bottom of the wok and burning.
• Refrigerate leftover dishes for no more than 24 hours. When reheating, add 1 teaspoon of clean water and stir-fry over low heat until thoroughly heated.