Sichuan Eggplant

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Asian eggplant in a spicy garlic sauce makes a wonderful vegetable side dish. I love the small, slender japanese eggplants as they are tender and don't have the bitterness of regular eggplant. Recipe is from my james mcnair's favorites" cookbook."

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Steps

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Cut ends from eggplants and cut crosswise into slices about 1 / 2 inch thick.

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Then cut slices into half circles and set aside.

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In a small bowl , combine the soy sauce , sugar , vinegar , cornstarch , and chile with 1 / 2 cup water and stir to mix well.

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Set aside.

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Place a wok , large saute pan , or large , heavy skillet over high heat.

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When the pan is hot , add the oil and swirl to coat the pan.

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When the oil is hot but not yet smoking , add the eggplant and garlic , quickly toss to coat with oil , and stir-fry , moving the pan off and on the heat as necessary to prevent scorching , until the eggplant is very tender but not falling apart , about 5 minutes.

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Stir the reserved soy sauce mixture to recombine , then stir it into the eggplant.

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Add the sliced green onions and stir until the sauce thickens , about 30 seconds.

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Transfer to a serving platter or bowl , sprinkle with chives or green onion tops and serve warm.

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Ingredients

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japanese eggplants, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, asian chili sauce, canola oil, garlic, green onion, chives, green onion top