- 1 T. fish sauce
- 2 T. oyster sauce
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. water (mix until cornstarch is dissolved)
- 1 Chinese (large, with dark purple skin) eggplant, or 2 (thinner, with light purple skin) Japanese eggplants
- 2-3 T. oil for stir-frying
- 1/2 cooking onion
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-3 red chillies (including seeds), depending on how spicy you like it
- 1/4 cup water for stir-frying
- 2 T. soy sauce
- About 1/2 cup (or more) fresh basil
Prepare the sauce by mixing together the fish sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar. Prepare the cornstarch and water mixture in a separate cup or bowl. Set both aside.
Chop the eggplant into bite-sized pieces (be sure to leave the peel on - this is where most of the nutrients are).
Place 2-3 tablespoons of oil to a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, half of the garlic, chilli, and eggplant. Reserve the rest of the garlic for later.
Stir-fry for 5 minutes. When the wok or frying pan becomes dry, add a little of the water (a few tablespoons at a time) - enough to keep the ingredients frying nicely.
Add two tablespoons soy sauce and continue stir-frying for 5 more minutes, or until the eggplant is soft and the white flesh is almost translucent. Add a little more water when the pan becomes too dry (up to 1/4 cup).
When the eggplant is soft, add the rest of the garlic plus the sauce. Stir-fry to incorporate.
Add the cornstarch/water mixture. Stir well so that the sauce thickens uniformly (this will only take a minute or so). Remove from the heat.
Taste the eggplant for saltiness. If it's not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce. If it's too salty, add one tablespoon of lime juice.
Add 3/4 of the fresh basil, stirring briefly to incorporate.
Slide the mixture onto a serving platter and sprinkle the rest of the basil over top. Serve with hot rice.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes