Here's the Szechuan eggplant dish. I forgot that I had adapted it up the wazoo & made it my own - lol!! Enjoy - it's absolutely delicious, & you can easily make it vegetarian by either leaving the meat out entirely, or subbing a square of cubed tofu in.
Breezy Braised Eggplant, Szechuan Style
(Adapted from Madame Chu’s Chinese Cooking School by Grace Zia Chu)
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, or several small oriental-type eggplants
2 tablespoons of fermented black beans, soaked in warm water to cover for 20 minutes
1 tablespoon hot Asian chili paste/sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled & minced or grated
4 cloves of garlic, peeled & minced
1/4-1/2 pound ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, or turkey)
Vegetable oil
Water
Wok or large skillet with a cover
White, brown, or Jasmine rice for serving
Preparation:
Slice eggplant, unpeeled, into approximately 1-1/2” thick slices, then cut the slices into quarters. Make 2 cuts not quite all the way through on each quarter. This will allow the eggplant pieces to cook quickly & evenly, as well as help them to absorb more of the sauce.
Drain the soaked fermented black beans & mash with the minced garlic to a rough paste. Add the chili paste, sugar, soy sauce, & ¼ cup cold water. Stir.
Cooking Procedure:
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet until hot, but not smoking. Add ground meat & stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add minced ginger & continue stir frying for another minute. Add eggplant pieces & continue stir frying for another 5 minutes. Add in the sauce mixture & stir thoroughly until well mixed. Sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of water over all, turn the heat down to low/medium low, cover, & allow to cook for another 5 minutes or until the eggplant pieces are tender to your preference. Serve hot over rice.