Lunch: Spicy Eggplant

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar
2 teaspoons plum sauce
4 Chinese eggplants (about 1 pound), stems removed
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
4 dried whole chile peppers
2 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths
1/4 pound ground pork
Chopped cilantro leaves or sliced green onions

Instructions

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl; mix well.
With a vegetable peeler, remove 1-inch strips of the eggplant skin, leaving a 1-inch strip of skin in between. Cut the eggplant into fourths lengthwise, then cut each section crosswise into 3-inch pieces.
Pour enough oil into a 2-quart saucepan to fill 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Deep-fry the eggplant batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.
Place wok over a high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of deep-frying oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the garlic, ginger, dried chiles and green onion; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking up pieces with back of a spoon, until brown and crumbly. Add the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked eggplant and stir to coat. Scoop onto a warm serving platter. Serve, garnished with cilantro or green onions.

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