Chinese Eggplant with Spicy Szechuan Sauce

Recipe from Sylvia

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs Japanese Eggplant (about 4 x 10 inch eggplants)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • bowl of water
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2–4 tablespoons peanut oil ( or wok oil)
  • 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ginger, finely minced
  • 5–10 dried red chilies
For Szechuan Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns ( or sub regular peppercorns)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon garlic chili paste ( or sub 1 teaspoon chili flakes)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (or mirin)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup or alternative
  • 1/2 teaspoon five spice

Instructions

To make Szechuan Sauce
  1. Toast the Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Crush. Place these along with the remaining ingredients ( soy, chili paste, sesame oil, rice vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, and five spice) in a small bowl and whisk. Set by the stove.
To make eggplant
  1. Once all the eggplant are cut ( 4 x 10-inch eggplants), place in a bowl of salted water for 20 minutes.
  2. Cover with a plate so the eggplant is submerged. Let sit 20-30 mins.
  3. While the eggplant soaks, prep the garlic, ginger and Szechuan sauce and place them by the stove.
  4. Drain the eggplant, rinse, then pat dry with a kitchen towel.
  5. Then coat in cornstarch. This helps the eggplant get crispy.
  6. handful of roughly chopped cilantro