I made it myself

I know I said no more recipes, but I’m feeling a little charitable today. Besides, I had a huge craving for spicy Chinese eggplant last week and happened to have some eggplant in my fridge so figured, I know how to cook – I don’t need take-out. I can do this. And I kind of did.

It doesn’t taste exactly as it would in a Chinese restaurant because I used a different kind of chili sauce and it’s not deep fried, plus I used chives from my garden in lieu of green onion, etcetera and so on. But you know what? Very tasty and enjoyable!

Spicy Garlic Eggplant

(serves 4)

Ingredients:

4-6 Chinese or Japanese eggplants or 3-4 baby eggplant

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp chopped fresh ginger


3 cloves fresh garlic, chapped

1 tbsp sriracha (chili sauce)

3 tbsp Tamari or light soy sauce

3-4 tsp brown

handful of snipped chives

1 tsp corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water

crispy shallots (optional – I buy a bag of them at Asian markets at keep them in the freezer)

Method:

Chop eggplant into finger sized pieces by cutting lengthwise, then into quarters.
Cook in wok or large nonstick skillet in about 2 cups of boiling water until soft, about 10-12 minutes. When soft, drain in a colander.

On medium-low heat, add oil and cook garlic, ginger, and spicy sriracha sauce for a minute, then add soy and sugar. Return eggplant to the pan and cook for about 5-7 minutes until sauce starts to form, then stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce. Add chives at the end, and garnish with crispy shallots. Serve with rice.