Recipe: Hot Garlic Eggplant

Hot Garlic Eggplant
rec.food.recipes/Joel Ehrlich/1995
Yields 4 Servings

1/3 lb ground pork
2 tsp heavy soy sauce
1 1/2 lb oriental eggplant, trimmed
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tbsp heavy soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp peanut oil
10 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili paste with garlic
1/2 tsp ginger, minced fine
chicken stock
3 tbsp oyster sauce

Mix the pork and the first measure of soy sauce in a bowl. Set aside.

Quarter each unpeeled oriental eggplant lengthwise. Place the strips together and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. (If using a Globe eggplant, peel and cut into 1/2-inch squares.) Transfer to a medium bowl. Blend in the onion.

Combine the sherry with the oyster sauce, the second measure of soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar in another small bowl. Set aside.

Heat the wok until it is very hot. Pour in the peanut oil.

Add the garlic, chili paste and ginger. Cook several seconds - do not allow to brown.

Add the pork mixture. Stir fry, pressing the pork against the sides of the wok until the meat loses its raw color.

Add the eggplant mixture. Stir in the sauce, adding more sherry if needed to make the liquid cover about half of the stir fry mixture.

Cover. Cook over high heat until the eggplant softens and is no longer raw tasting (about 3 minutes for oriental eggplant, 5 minutes for Globe eggplant).

Add sherry or chicken stock as required if the wok dries out during this time. Continue cooking, uncovered, until most of the sauce has evaporated. Adjust seasonings. Serve at once.