Fish Fragrant Eggplant

Ingredients

Eggplant

1 large, cut into large chunks

Salt

1/2 teaspoon, or to taste

Vegetable oil

3 tablespoons

Garlic

2 cloves, minced

Ginger

1 tablespoon, finely chopped

Scallions

2, chopped

Chili bean paste

2 tablespoons

Sugar

1 tablespoon

Black vinegar

1 tablespoon

Soy sauce

1 tablespoon

Water

1/2 cup

Cornstarch

1 tablespoon, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

Instructions

1. Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat.
2. Add the eggplant chunks and sauté until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Once done, remove the eggplant from the pan and set it aside.
3. In the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil.
4. Next, add the minced garlic, finely chopped ginger, and chopped scallions to the pan. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is fragrant.
5. While the aromatic base is cooking, create the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, chili bean paste, cornstarch slurry, and water.
6. Once the sauce is well mixed, pour it into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer.
7. Now, reintroduce the cooked eggplant to the pan and stir well to ensure it is thoroughly coated in the sauce.
8. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the eggplant is fully cooked and tender.
9. Finally, season the dish with salt to taste.
10. Serve this delightful dish hot, ideally accompanied by steamed rice to soak up the flavorful sauce.