Asian - Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vegetarian (or easy fix)
Recipe:
SAUCE (mix in a small bowl):
2 T. chili-garlic sauce (you can get this at Lee Lee’s)
2T. soy sauce
2T rice vinegar
2T. rice wine
1T. sugar
3 medium Chinese eggplant – the long thin purple ones (about 1 lb)
7 T. vegetable oil (I use as little as I can get away with)
2 T. chopped garlic
1-2 T. peeled, chopped ginger
½ lb. ground pork
1 onion, chopped or slivered
½ c. chopped scallions
Trim eggplant and cut into 2½” x ½” x ½” pieces. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add 3 T. oil and half the eggplant and stir-fry 2 min. or until eggplant begins to brown and soften (you’ll finish cooking it later). Transfer to a plate and repeat with more oil and eggplant. Remove last eggplant to plate. Add remaining 1 T. oil to skillet and briefly fry the ginger and garlic. Add the pork and cook until it loses its pink color. Add the onion and cook briefly. Return the eggplant to the wok. Stir the sauce and add. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 5-8 minutes or until the eggplant is tender. Stir in the scallions and serve.