Chinese Sticky Garlic Eggplant

Prep Time: 30m | Cook Time: 30m | Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

• 500g Eggplant (skinny or chunky doesn’t matter!)
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cube fermented bean curd
• 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs spring onion, chopped
• 1 tsp black bean and garlic sauce
• 1 tbsp vegan/vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• Fresh Chilli (optional)
• Spring Onions
• Toasted Sesame Seeds
• Crispy Shallots

Instructions

1. PREPARING THE EGGPLANT: Chop eggplant into large pieces. Soak eggplant in water with a good bit of salt for at least 30 minutes (this draws any bitterness from the eggplant), try to submerge the pieces by using a heavy plate. After 30 mins, drain and pat dry. I like to lay them all out on a clean dry tea towel, top with another tea towel and pat to dry thoroughly. In a clean and dry large mixing bowl, mix cornflour, salt, white and black pepper. Toss the eggplant pieecs in cornflour mixture so every piece is coated generously on all sides with the flour mix.
2. DEEP-FRYING EGGPLANT: Heat a few inches of frying oil in a deep pot or wok. The oil is hot enough if you put a wooden chopstick in and lots of bubbles rise rapidly out of the chopstick - or if using a thermometer 180-190ºC. Fry eggplant pieces for about 3 minutes, turning so that the pieces cook evenly. I would suggest frying in small batches of 5-7 pieces if you have a small pot, or 8-10 pieces if you have a large wok, so that the oil doesn’t lose too much heat. Drain on paper towel and set aside.
3. STIR-FRYING EGGPLANT: Mix black bean sauce, oyster sauce and sugar together in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat. Cook spring onions until shiny, then add garlic and stir. Add the black bean sauce mix to the pan along with fermented bean curd until it has dissolved. Add eggplant and fresh chilli to sauce and stir lightly until the eggplant pieces are evenly coated! Garnish with freshly sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds!