Chinese Eggplant with Spicy Sauce

Eggplant, pork, ginger, and spice—add rice, and it’s dinner.

4 servings

This dish is from Editor Jill Melton’s travels in Shanghai, where the food is typically sweet, rather than spicy. The Chinese frequently use a combination of soy sauces—the dark, sweet version and the traditional kind. If you can’t find the dark soy sauce, use all of the light. Small slender eggplant with the peel on is best for this dish.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch triangular pieces
2 ounces ground pork
2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons light (traditional) soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chile sauce
1 tablespoon water
2cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil (optional)

Prep Time - 5
Cook Time - 11

Instructions

Heat oil in wok or large skillet until hot. Add eggplant; stir-fry 5 minutes. Remove eggplant and set aside.
Place pork, ginger, water, sugar, soy sauces, vinegar and chili sauce in pan; stir-fry 4 minutes. Add eggplant. Combine water with cornstarch; mix well. Add to pan and cook 2 minutes or until thick. Add sesame oil, if using. Serve hot.

Nutritional Info (per serving)