Braised Eggplant With Garlic Sauce

Directions

1. Peel egg plant and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Place it in a medium bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss gently to mix. Set aside for 30 min.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Drain and rinse the eggplant and squeeze it dry.
3. Place a wok or possibly wide frying pan over high heat till warm. Add in the vegetable oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add in the pork and cook till browned and crumbly, about 1 1/2 min. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, till fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add in the eggplant, green onions, and water chestnuts; mix well. Add in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan and braise till the eggplant is tender and the liquid is slightly reduced, about 10 min. Add in the cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, till the sauce boils and thickens. Garnish with slivered green onions.
4. This recipe yields 4 servings.
5. Tip: Asian eggplant has a tender skin that does not require peeling. Do so only if you want the color of the dish to be light rather than tinged with purple.
6. Comments: Here's a chance to practice your skill with a cleaver. Although you can make this garlicky dish from Sichuan with grnd pork, I prefer minced pork for its more pleasing texture contrast to the creamy eggplant. Still, if you want to use your food processor, by all means do so.