Chinese Eggplant with Garlic and Chilli

Eggplants are so versatile - they are a favourite at home because of all the things you can turn them into!

Tonight I made this eggplant dish to go with Chinese Fried Rice.  If you love eggplant, then this is a must try dish.

Ingredients:

3 Long Eggplants ( the Lebanese variety), sliced diagonally.

6 cloves garlic - chopped finely

4-5 tablespoons corn flour

1 teaspoon salt for soaking

Oil for shallow frying

1 red chilli for garnish, sliced finely 

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon crushed red chilli paste

2-3 tablespoons water

Method:

Take a saucepan and fill it with water.  Add 1 teaspoon salt.  Place the diagonally cut eggplant into it and close the lid.  Leave it aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the garlic and keep it ready.

Make a slurry with all of the sauces, honey, chilli and water and 1 tablespoon cornflour and keep it aside.

After 15 minutes, take the eggplants slices out and pat dry.  Place in large tray and sprinkle corn flour, making sure you cover all the pieces.  Turn the pieces around and repeat on the other side too.

Set aside.  In a flat saucepan, pour oil and when it is smoking, arrange the eggplant pieces in a single layer.  Cook till one side becomes brown and caramelized.  Repeat the same on the other side.  do this with all the pieces.  Do not crowd the saucepan.

In the same saucepan, add the garlic pieces and saute for a minute or so.  Then add the slurry, immediately followed by the fried eggplant pieces.  Coat all the pieces with the gravy.  Turn off the stove.

Garnish with a finely sliced red chilli.

Serve hot with Chinese Fried Rice. https://kitchenanugraha.blogspot.com/2020/06/chinese-fried-rice.html

Note: Once you add the slurry, the sauce thickens very quick so you have to be ready with the fried eggplant - or you will not have gravy.