Braised Chinese eggplant with minced meat

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 250 g eggplant(s), Chinese
• ½ tsp salt
• 500 ml water
• 1 spring onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 piece(s) ginger root
• 1 tbsp rice wine, e.g. B. Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, light
• 2 tbsp water
• ½ tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 125 g minced pork
• 1 tbsp chili oil, with crispy chili flakes, e.g. Laoganma
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Cut the eggplant into cubes or finger-length thick strips. To prevent them from absorbing oil later, place the eggplant pieces in a bowl of salted water and weigh them down with a plate or similar to cover the water. Let them stand for 10 minutes. In the meantime, finely grate or dice the ginger and garlic and slice the spring onion into rings, separating the green from the white parts, and set everything aside. Mix the rice wine, soy sauce, water, sugar, and cornstarch to make a marinade and set aside. Heat the oil in a pan or wok over high heat. Drain the eggplant pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper. Add them to the hot oil and fry on medium heat for about 5 minutes, until cooked through and browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Add the ground beef to the pan and fry until well browned and crispy. Add the garlic, ginger, and the white part of the spring onion and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the chili oil, sesame oil, and the marinade with the eggplant pieces and fry briefly until everything is coated in a light, creamy sauce. Season to taste with soy sauce, rice wine, and chili oil. Sprinkle with the green parts of the spring onions and serve. Serve with rice. Notes: This recipe works best with Chinese or Japanese eggplants—the long, slender variety with a relatively light purple skin. However, it also works with the large, dark eggplant that is prevalent in Germany. Shaoxing rice wine can be replaced with dry sherry or mirin, but in the latter case, omit the sugar in the marinade. Light soy sauce is a Chinese soy sauce, but Japanese soy sauce can also be substituted. The minced meat can also be mixed or beef, or you can omit it entirely. The eggplants also taste fantastic as a vegetarian dish. The chili oil with crispy chili flakes is usually found in Asian stores under the label “Spicy Chili Crisp” and is simply fantastic. I use it as an ingredient or sauce for all sorts of things; simple fried rice, for example, turns out absolutely divine with this oil! Alternatively, you can use a different chili oil or mix 2 teaspoons of neutral oil with 1 teaspoon of chili flakes. The sesame oil is a dark oil made from roasted sesame seeds, which is only used for seasoning, as it burns very quickly. It has a very aromatic sesame scent.