Aubergine and dace fish ball claypot with onion
Silky braised aubergine and springy pan-fried dace fish balls with onion and black vinegar — a warm claypot to eat with rice.
- 40 min
- Serves 3
- Braise
- Easy
Why it suits you: Blood Stasis means sluggish circulation — period pain, easy bruising or a dull complexion. Aubergine moves blood and disperses stasis, dace builds qi and blood, and onion, ginger and black vinegar warm the vessels — a hot claypot that keeps air-conditioned Summer Solstice days from chilling the blood.
Method
Prep 20 min · Cook 20 min- 1Roll-cut the aubergines, put them straight onto a plate and microwave on high for 4 minutes until half soft — this way they need far less oil.
- 2With wet hands and a spoon, shape the fish paste into about 12 small balls.
- 3Heat the oil in a claypot or wok and fry the fish balls until golden on both sides, then lift out.
- 4In the same pot, fry the ginger, garlic and onion until fragrant, add the aubergine, soy sauce, sugar and 150 ml water, cover and braise over medium-low heat for 8 minutes.
- 5Add the fish balls and braise 3 minutes more, splash in the vinegar, thicken with the cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water, and bring the pot to the table with rice.
Chef's tips
- Dace fish paste is sold at wet-market fish stalls and is usually already seasoned — no extra salt needed.
- Microwaving the aubergine first keeps it silky without deep-frying, so the dish stays light.
The TCM view
Aubergine is sweet and cool; it clears heat, moves blood and reduces swelling. Dace is sweet and neutral and builds qi and blood; onion is pungent and warm and moves qi; ginger is pungent and warm and black vinegar is sour, bitter and warm, both warming the channels. Cool balanced by warm — moving blood without letting cold congeal it.
