I have not made this dish since my undergraduate days!! I remember I tried it first when one of my first uni friends (originally from Hong Kong) made it for dinner. She paired it with a Cantonese style steamed fish and jasmine rice, and it tasted absolutely delicious despite being put together with very simple ingredients. Amazingly, despite not having had it for years, I can still remember what it tasted like. The eggplant pieces were cooked till soft and tender, with each piece flavored right through with a distinct yet not overwhelming garlic aroma and spiciness from the chilli.
As we are trying to introduce spice to our young children, I tend to use conservative amounts of chilli so as not to overwhelm their taste buds. Feel free to add as much chilli as you want and can tolerate, but if you are looking to reduce the heat, removing the seeds will help. We tend to use minced pork loin, but you can use any part of the pork. I have also included the amount of seasoning that I used, but feel free to adjust according to your taste.
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil (I use canola oil)
1 tbsp of chopped garlic
2 small chilies, finely chopped
2 medium sized eggplants, cut into small pieces
200 g of minced pork
1 tbsp of sugar (starting point, adjust according to taste)
3/4 tsp of salt (starting point, adjust according to taste)
1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp of light soy sauce
water
Method
Fry 1/2 tbsp of chopped garlic until bubbles form all around the garlic pieces. This is usually just before it turns light brown. Add pork and fry until the pork is fully cooked, when it is no longer pink.
Add eggplant pieces and coat well in the garlic and pork mixture.
Add water, about 1/4 cup, stirring occasionally and adding more water until eggplant pieces are soft and tender. If you have added too much water, simply boil down to evaporate the excess water until the dish thickens up.
Add remaining chopped garlic and add seasoning (salt, sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce). Fry until well mixed.
Finally, add finely chopped chili and stir to combine.
Serve and enjoy!
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