Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup hot water

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1½ tablespoons oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry cooking sherry)

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon dark soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves garlic; divided)

1 pound Chinese or Japanese eggplants (2-3 eggplants)

4½ tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil)

4 ounces ground pork (or ground chicken, optional)

2 teaspoons minced ginger

5-10 dried red chilies (de-seeded and sliced into small pieces)

2 scallions (chopped)

Directions

In a small bowl, add the hot water and stir in the sugar to dissolve. Then add the cornstarch, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, and white pepper. Stir in half of the garlic (1 tablespoon), and set this mixture aside.

When you’re ready to cook, trim the ends off the eggplants and cut them on an angle, rotating the eggplant with each cut, into triangular bite-size chunks. (Don’t leave them out too long, or they will turn brown.

Heat a wok over medium-high heat until it’s smoking lightly, then pour 1½ tablespoons of the neutral oil around the perimeter of the wok to evenly coat it with oil. Spread the eggplant in a single layer, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping and stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is lightly browned. Spread another 1½ tablespoons of the oil around the perimeter of the wok. Continue cooking the eggplant (still in a single layer) for another 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until evenly seared, soft, and slightly translucent. (You may want to do this in two batches.) Remove the eggplant from the wok and set on a plate.

Increase the heat to high and add the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil to the wok. Add the ground pork (if using) and cook until opaque, breaking it up into small bits as you go. Add the ginger, dried chilies, and the remaining tablespoon of garlic. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the aromatics are toasted and fragrant.

Add the eggplant back to the wok, and stir-fry until combined. Stir the sauce again to ensure the cornstarch is well combined with the liquid, then add it to the wok. Mix well and bring to a simmer, cooking until the sauce is just thick enough to coat a spoon. Stir in the scallions and serve immediately.

Nutrition

• Calories: 293 kcal
• Total Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg
• Sodium: 500 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 15 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 8 g
• Protein: 7 g