SERVES 3 TO 4 AS PART OF A MULTICOURSE MEAL
This is my favorite Chinese eggplant dish, bar none. Meaty in texture and sweet from both the natural flavor of the slender eggplant and the veil of brown sugar, it is deeply satisfying. If Chinese eggplant are within reach and you have never before cooked them, this is the recipe to try.
Preparations are simple and can be done ahead. The dish is also excellent at room temperature.
“Dry-frying” refers to a style of stir-fried dish in which the sauce liquids are purposely reduced while the components are tossed over moderately high heat. It is a way of enriching a dish with concentrated flavors, and is a favored treatment with meaty vegetables.
AROMATICS:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
⅓ cup thinly sliced green and white scallion rings
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce
1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, drained, and minced (optional)
SAUCE:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2½ tablespoons hot water
4 to 5 tablespoons corn or peanut oil, for stir-frying
1½ pounds long, slender Chinese eggplant, tipped and roll-cut (see page 260) into chunky nuggets about 1 inch long
Thinly sliced green and white scallion rings, for garnish
1. Combine the aromatics in a small dish; seal until ready to use.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients through the water in a small bowl. Stir to blend, leaving the spoon in the bowl.
3. Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to glaze the pan. Reduce the heat to moderate. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a scallion ring, add the aromatics. Stir gently until fully fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds, adjusting the heat so they foam without browning. Add the eggplant and toss well to combine. Toss until the eggplant is very hot and the skin is mostly brown, about 4 minutes. Adjust the heat so the eggplant cooks without scorching, and drizzle a bit more oil down the side of the pan, if needed to prevent sticking. Be stingy with the oil; eggplant will soak up all you give it.
4. Stir the sauce, add it to the pan, and toss well to combine. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover the pan, and simmer until the liquid is 90 percent absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Serve the eggplant hot, tepid, or at room temperature on a plate of contrasting color. Garnish with the scallion rings.
One of the weirder food flavorings on the Chinese scene, dried shrimp range from the size of a melon seed to ¾ inch in length. Sometimes they wear shells, heads, tails, and/or a fringe of tiny feet. They are strange, salty, and smell funky to boot. In polite culinary terms, their flavor could be described as tang. Many people adore dried shrimp, some abhor them; it is a matter of choice. In dry-fried preparations, they are wonderful.
Dried shrimp should be soaked in hot water for 15 minutes or so. They will grow somewhat softer but not soft. Drain the briny liquid and pick off any large bits of shell.
Keep dried shrimp sealed airtight in the refrigerator. If kept at room temperature in warm weather, they can grow moldy.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: For a vegetarian array, try pairing the eggplant with Dragon Noodles (page 391) and add a zesty condiment, such as Ginger-Pickled Daikon (page 53) or Ma-La Cucumber Fans (page 48). The eggplant is also a wonderful partner to roasted or grilled fish or chicken.