STIR-FRIED AUBERGINE WITH SESAME SEEDS

Toasted sesame seeds always add an extra special something to a dish; not only do they offer little nibbles of crunch, they also pack a punch of distinctly nutty flavour that is totally unique to these tiny morsels. Here we have soft aubergine stir-fried in a rich, dark, aromatic sauce with a subtle sour note and rich umami taste, amped to the next level by a liberal sprinkling of sesame seeds.

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

½ Tbsp dark soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp rice wine

½ Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

2 Tbsp oil

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 spring onions (scallions), halved and thinly sliced lengthways

1 green bird’s-eye chilli, thinly sliced

2 large aubergines (eggplants), cut into bite-sized pieces

4 Tbsp water

1 tsp sesame oil

Heat a dry, non-stick pan over a medium-high heat and toast the sesame seeds until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set to one side. In a bowl combine the light and dark soy sauces, rice vinegar, rice wine, sugar and cornflour and mix well. Set to one side.

Heat a wok over a medium-high heat and add the oil, garlic, ginger and spring onions and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chilli and fry for a further 30 seconds before adding the aubergine and frying for 1 minute more. Add the water and turn the heat down to a simmer. After 10 minutes of simmering time, increase the heat, add the soy sauce mixture and combine well. Continue cooking over a medium-high heat to reduce the liquid by half.

Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with the sesame oil and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.