Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

3 Fruits of the Earth

By Carolyn Phillips

5.0

(1)

A vegetable stir fry cooked in a wok on an electric range.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Heilongjiang, the northernmost province in China’s Northeast, does not have a huge repertoire of famous recipes, but this one should definitely put it on the map. Simple and inspired, disānxiān takes three foreign imports—eggplants from the Middle East and potatoes and sweet peppers from the Americas—and transforms them into a local favorite.

It might seem rather Provençal in style on the surface, but a closer look shows that this is not the case at all: The inclusion of ginger sets this dish firmly in the realm of Chinese cooking. Pair this recipe with simply seasoned barbecued or braised meats for a true taste of the Northeast.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Kimchi Gim Bugak (Fried Seaweed Chips)
Bugak is the ideal light beer snack: It’s crunchy, salty, and the fresher it’s made, the better. Thin sheets of kimchi add an extra spicy savory layer.
Eggplant Roasted in Satay Sauce
Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?
Crispy Tofu With Scallion-Ginger Sauce
The tofu is crunchy on the outside, in part thanks to a panko-studded exterior, and squishy-in-a-good-way on the inside. It also comes together in 20 minutes.
Fufu
Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.
Beer-Battered Onion Rings
Easy to make, impossible to stop eating.
Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu
Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.
Charred Vegetable Ragù
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Stir-Fried Phở Noodles With Beef
This dish is not only a quick meal option but also a practical way to use leftover phở noodles when you’re out of broth.