Chinese Pork and Eggplant Stir-fry

Melt-in-the-mouth eggplant cubes and pork pieces glazed in a dark, syrupy sauce. The powerful aroma of soy and sesame fills the kitchen as the sauce reduces.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 865
• Protein: 14 g
• Carbs: 12 g
• Fat: 83 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Pork belly ( thinly sliced )
• 2 piece Eggplant (aubergine) ( in large cubes )
• 3 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 2 piece Spring onion, sauté/poêlé sans matière grasse ( sliced )
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp Brown sugar
• 1 tsp Corn starch
• 4 tbsp Peanut oil
• 1 tsp Sesame oil
• 1 tsp Ginger ground
• 1 piece Hot chili pepper optional ( seeded and minced )
• 15 g Fresh ginger ( minced )

Instructions

1. Product preparation

   Slice the pork belly into regular 5mm slices. Cut the eggplants into large 3cm cubes. Mince the garlic, fresh ginger and thinly slice the spring onions, separating the white from the green.

2. Searing the eggplants

   Heat the peanut oil in a wok. Sauté the eggplants until golden and tender in the center. They should absorb the oil then start to release it. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.

3. Cooking pork and aromatics

   In the same wok, sear the pork over high heat until the fat is crispy. Add the white parts of the spring onions, garlic, ginger and chili. Let the garlic lightly color without burning.

4. Thickening and glazing

   Return the eggplants. Pour in the mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and cornstarch diluted in a little water. Stir vigorously: the sauce should coat the food with a glossy sheen. Finish with sesame oil and the green parts of the spring onions.

Chef's tips

• Do not overcrowd the wok; fry the eggplants in two batches if necessary so they brown instead of boiling.
• The eggplant is cooked when the flesh becomes translucent and the skin wrinkles slightly.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The dish is even better reheated as the eggplants finish absorbing the sauce.