Red-Cooked Eggplant (Hongshao Qiezi)

This Chinese dish has been adapted from one of Adrian's recipes on Good Chef Bad Chef. It's very important to the recipe that you used fresh Japanese eggplants. It was so delicious! I served with brown rice and steamed bok choy. If you want less spicy just omit the fresh chilli.

Red-Cooked Eggplant (Hongshao Qiezi)

Ingredients

3 oriental eggplant, quartered lengthwise
1 cup olive oil
1 long red chilli, sliced
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1" fresh ginger (I used a touch of ground because I didn't have fresh)
½ red onion chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar (I used palm sugar because I didn't have brown)
1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
2 tbsp chilli bean paste (I used Sambal Olak because I didn't have the paste)
2 star anise
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp vegetable or vegan beef stock
Bunch Garlic chives (I didn't not use this)
½ bunch coriander, chopped

Method

Submerge eggplant in a bowl filled with ice water for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a 14″ flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat.
Drain eggplant, dry thoroughly with paper towels, and add all to the oil. Cook until just soft and golden, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggplant to a bowl lined with paper towel and set aside.

Discard all but ¼ cup oil in wok; return to medium heat.
Add garlic, red onion, ginger and chilli.
Season with salt and pepper and fry for one to two minutes or until onion just begins to soften.
Stir through sugar.
Add fish sauce, bean paste, tomato paste, star anise, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and stock. Bring to the boil.
Transfer eggplant back to the wok. Stir through garlic chives and coriander.

Transfer to a plate and serve.