Spicy Garlic Eggplant（鱼香茄子）

COURSE Vegetarian main dish

SERVES about 2

TIME About 20 minutes

Cooking Tip:

• Pre-salting the Black Beauty eggplant - Salt the Black Beauty eggplants with 1 Tsp of salt for 30 mins ahead of time can draw out the bitterness. To pre-salt, cut the eggplant length-wise in half. Slice the flesh of the eggplant in vertical and horizontal pattern. This allow cutting the eggplants into long strips later. Cover the eggplant halves with 1 Tsp salt and let sit for 30 mins. Make sure to rinse off the salt before cutting.

• Chinese or Japanese eggplants work better for this dish, as they are not as bitter as the Black Beauty eggplants.

• Besides a wok, a large stock pot (10-inch diameter) works well for the dish. It allows enough room for stirring. The high sides also prevents the oil from splashing.

• Stir fries requires very high heat. Cooking (or burning) happens very quickly. It helps to prepare everything ahead of time, group the items that gets added together, and keep them within armlength to allow quick access when cooking.

• When cooking is completed, the pot should be removed from heat as soon as possible to avoid drying out the food.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp cooking oil, divided

• 1 large pre-salted Black Beauty eggplant (or 2 medium), or 6 Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut into long strips

• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped

• 2 green onions, chopped

• 2 or 3 red chili pepper, minced

• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced

• 2 tablespoon soy sauce

• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

1. Mix soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl and set aside.

2. Heat a wok or stock pot over high heat, and add 1½ Tbsp cooking oil. Swirl to coat the pot.

3. When the oil just started to smoke, add the eggplants and stir quickly to avoid burning. Stir the eggplants for about 5 mins until the volume reduced by at least half. Take the eggplants out of the pot and set aside.

4. Add the remaining cooking oil, green onion, chili pepper, garlic, and ginger. Stir quickly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. Add in the bell pepper and stir for about 1 min.

6. Dump the eggplants back in, and add the soy sauce mixture. stir to combine.

7. Remove from heat and serve with rice or quinoa.

Recipe Inspiration:

This recipe is inspired by the "Chinese Eggplant Recipe with Spicy Garlic Sauce" posted on SteamyKitchen.