Simply Steamed Eggplant (Qing Zheng Ai Gua)

Why people make this dish

Eggplant is not the most glamorous vegetable — but in Cantonese food therapy, its simplest preparation (steamed, with just oil and salt) is one of the classic remedies for hemorrhoid-related bleeding and bowel inflammation. The reason lies in its vitamin P content: specifically rutin, a bioflavonoid that helps maintain the integrity of small blood vessels (capillaries), which underpins its traditional use for hemorrhoid bleeding, intestinal bleeding, and skin bruising from fragile capillaries. Steaming over rice is the traditional method — the gentle, moist heat preserves more of the vegetable’s nutrients and results in a remarkably tender, silky texture that is genuinely delicious and very easy to eat.

Method

1. Wash the eggplant and cut it in half lengthwise.
2. Place the eggplant halves directly on top of your rice in the rice cooker or steamer as the rice finishes cooking — this is the traditional way, letting the eggplant steam gently in the moist environment. Alternatively: place the halved eggplant in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and steam for 12–15 minutes until completely soft.
3. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Use a pair of chopsticks to pull the eggplant apart into long, natural strips — this is better than cutting and gives a more silky texture.
4. Drizzle with oil, season with salt, and serve immediately.

Nourilo’s Tips

When buying long eggplant, choose lighter, softer ones with a pointed tip — these have fewer seeds and more tender flesh. Heavier, round-ended eggplants have more seeds and denser flesh. The oil-and-salt version is the simplest and lets the vegetable’s natural character come through. If you want a more flavorful version for everyday eating, add minced garlic and fermented black bean paste — this also reduces the cooling nature, making it more suitable for those with a cold constitution. For hemorrhoid bleeding, a supporting soup to take alongside is: sophora flower buds (huai hua) 11 g in a tea bag, dried mussels (dan cai) 75 g, and dried figs 4 pieces, simmered with lean pork — drink regularly for support.