Hongshao Qiezi

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 eggplant(s)
• 2 small potatoes
• 1 bell pepper(s)
• Soy sauce, dark
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 small chili peppers (Bird’s Eye), dried
• 1 piece(s) ginger
• salt and pepper
• some cornstarch
• n. B. Oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Chinese-style eggplant with potatoes and peppers

First, peel the potatoes and dice all the vegetables. Crush the garlic cloves with the broad side of a knife and slice the chilies (I use dried ones) lengthwise. Heat a little oil in a pan and add the garlic, the diced potatoes (these take the longest), and the chilies. Cover and cook over medium heat, then add the eggplant and pepper cubes. Chop a small piece of ginger and add it to the pan (the longer the ginger cooks, the more it loses its spiciness). When the vegetables are somewhat soft, sprinkle with cornstarch to thicken the sauce and deglaze with plenty of soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook for a while. Serve with rice. This is my favorite Chinese dish, which I have tried to recreate using authentic Chinese recipes. If you don’t like spicy food, you can leave out the chilies, but in Jiangxi Province, the dishes are usually even hotter.