- 1 small eggplant
- 4 tsp. toasted sesame oil, divided
- 1 T. grated fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 T. chili crisp
- 8 oz. shredded roasted pork - loads of leftovers work for this
- 4 tsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. honey
- 2 tsp. rice vinegar
- 3 spring onions, cut into 1" pieces
- 2 oz. water chestnuts, drained and sliced thin (I used raw sliced turnips from my CSA box)
- ½ c. salted peanuts
Cut the eggplant into ½” cubes. Stack evenly onto a plate that can fit into your steamer.
Set up your steamer by adding water to the pan and stacking the steaming rack on top. Place the plate of eggplant onto the steaming rack. Heat over medium-high heat, covered, until the steam comes out of the steamer. Reduce the heat to medium. Let the eggplant steam until it reaches desired doneness, about 10 minutes for a chewy texture, and 15 minutes for a very tender texture.
Meanwhile, pour half of the oil (2 teaspoons) into a large skillet over high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and chili crisp and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic starts to brown lightly. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan, add the shredded pork and fry, breaking up lumps, for 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, honey, and vinegar. Cook for 2 minutes, then return the ginger-garlic mixture to the pan. Add the spring onions, water chestnuts, and salted peanuts. Add the steamed eggplant and stir well to evenly coat everything with the sauce. Heat for 3 minutes or until evenly heated. Serve hot.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes