Braised Eggplant in Ginger Garlic Sauce 🇨🇳

 

Dark, luscious and meltingly tender are eggplants cooked the Chinese way, sautéed in a little oil then braised in an aromatic ginger and garlic sauce.  Use the long and slender Asian or baby eggplants which have more delicate skin and less seeds than the standard variety, which means no salting or soaking treatment is needed to remove any bitterness prior to cooking.  The purple graffiti eggplants are also good, perfect for cutting into rounds.  Eggplants do drink up a lot of oil when being fried, but refrain from adding more oil than the recipe specifies.  They brown nicely in a dry pan over medium heat.  Add the braising liquid when the eggplants are 70% cooked and they'll soften up in no time.  A satisfying vegetarian meal with hot rice.

Serves 2-3 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz Asian or Lebanese eggplants
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• olive or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped, white and green parts separated
• ¾ cup vegetable stock or water
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon malt vinegar or rice vinegar

METHOD

1. Slice eggplants into rungs and place them in a large bowl.  Add cornflour and toss them around to coat evenly.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium high until hot.  Add the eggplants and stir fry for about 5 minutes.  The pan will gradually become dry as the eggplants absorb the oil.  Turn the heat to medium when this happens and continue to toss the eggplants around until the pieces are lightly browned and about 70% cooked.  Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add two teaspoons of oil into the same wok over medium heat.  Add the ginger, garlic and white parts of the chopped spring onions.  Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add the stock/water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and vinegar.  Bring to a boil.
4. Transfer the eggplants back to the wok and mix well with the sauce.  Cover the wok and let the eggplants simmer for a few minutes until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Add a little more liquid if it looks too dry.  Toss the eggplants again a few more times and remove from heat.  Garnish with the green parts of the chopped spring onions.